The Return To Life
by Apon16
Summary: 3 years after Grima's demise, Robin returns to the land of the living, seeking to live a long life with his wife, Lucina, and their daughter Morgan. Follows their relationship and adventures before and after Robin's return to life.
1. Disappearance

**Hello there! Welcome to The Return to Life, a story filled with love and...well mostly love, but there will be shenanigans and emotions as well! This is currently planned up to Chapter 20, after which I will take some requests until I feel the story has run its course. Please leave a review and let me know what you think of the story! Without further ado, here is The Return to Life!  
**

* * *

**Chapter 1: Disappearance**

There they were. Everything in their journey has led up to this. Now all he could think about was the wind having a strange calmness for their situation. One would think that flying atop the Fell Dragon would create more than a calm breeze. But what else could be expected here. This was the end, and Robin knew it. He thought back to the night before, how Tiki had told him the options of ending Grima or putting him to sleep. He thought back to how he promised his wife Lucina to not give up his life, that they could find another way. He looked around the back of Grima to see all his friends. Friends who, moments earlier, pulled him from Grima's grasp, back into the realm of the living. Chrom was up ahead, slicing through Risen with the glowing Falchion. The queen, Sumia, flew above him taking out an unnoticed foe behind Chrom. He sadly looked behind him to see the two loves of his life, Lucina and Morgan, fighting back to back. He knew what he had promised Lucina. But he also knew the nightmare from which Lucina came, and how much she wished to prevent that future. And he knew he could never allow a possibility of his daughter Morgan to face that future either. He knew what must be done.

"Hear my words, Awakener! Grima's servants will beset you to no end. Dispatch him as soon as you are able! Once the fell one is weakened, a choice will await you… If Chrom lets fall the final blow, Grima shall survive but return to his slumber…" The voice of Naga boomed to all of them.

Chrom sidestepped another sword from the unrelenting horde of Risen, countering back to have his foe dissipate into a cloud of smoke. "So be it." Chrom answered back to Naga.

"If Robin strikes in Chrom's stead, both his life and Grima's are forever over. Only in this way may the fell dragon be destroyed for good. The final decision is yours", Naga finished saying.

Robin simply looked down to his sword. He cast it aside and picked out his Thoron tome. He looked back to Lucina, who had finished with the current round of Risen. "Naga help me if I survive this and have to look into her eyes after breaking my promise…" Robin thought to himself. He knew he could never let Grima return to this world.

Robin slowly began walking towards his fate. It was strange. To his sides all his friends were holding off the Risen. Virion was shooting off arrows at inhuman speed, Vaike was yelling his count of slain Risen (currently being at 23), Frederick and Cordelia were taking turns at a small group of Risen, Lissa and Maribelle were busy healing those who had taken injuries, and all the others were fighting to seal the future. And yet, while he knew he was walking to his demise, he felt a strange calmness once again.

Up ahead he heard Chrom yelling to Grima,

"I come to end you, Grima!"

"…ARROGANT MORTAL… I AM THE END!" replied the Fell Dragon.

Chrom dodged the dark magic being thrown at him and slashed away at the copy of Robin. Though it did not seem that the sword was doing anything at first, soon the other Robin was on his knees.

"…NNGH…AAAAUGHHH…" The Fell Robin cried out in pain.

Chrom looked back to see his best friend walking towards him. "Now, Robin! This is our chance! I'm going to finish it!"

Robin had a sad smile upon his face, and as he looked back towards Lucina and Morgan, who had finished their fight and were rushing up towards himself and Chrom, tears began forming in his eyes.

"…..No, Chrom."

Chrom looked back in surprise, pulling Falchion back.

"Robin, what do you mean no!?"

Robin watched as Lucina was catching up to them.

"I am sorry Lucina, I made a promise that I will have to break. I love you so much, you and Morgan both. You have shown me what there is to live for in this world. I have gone from being an amnesiac puppet of Grima to having something to fight for. My friends, my daughter, and my loving wife…" Robin said back to Lucina as he began to summon Thoron to his hand, the brilliant light starting to gather in his palm.

"…Robin!? Wait what-" Chrom yelled in despair, the reality of what was occurring finally dawning on him.

"…WHAT…WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" The Fell Dragon bellowed.

"For once, I am glad you and I are the same. Now I can give my life to protect those I care for" Robin sadly turned back to Lucina and Morgan, who had tears welling in their eyes. With his other hand he placed a barrier around him and the Fell Robin to stop Chrom, Lucina and Morgan from interfering.

"Robin! You promised you wouldn't do this! Please don't leave us! It doesn't have to end this way! We can always defeat him and find a solution in the future! Please Robin! I love you, you and Morgan are the reasons I wish to stay here!" Lucina cried out, tears streaming down her face.

"Father…..please….I can't lose you again…" Morgan cried from Lucina's side.

"Robin! I swear this better be a joke! I already told you what would happen if you hurt my daughter! I swear on Naga I will come into the afterlife and kick your ass if you go through with this!" Chrom yelled while trying to break through the barrier, finding no success.

"I am sorry everyone, but I cannot allow any risk anyone suffering from the same future Lucina came from. It is bad enough she has to deal with those scars. But remember, our ties are stronger than any fate that can come" Robin looked into Lucina's tear filled eyes, "And I would never be able to disappear completely if it meant I could never see you smile again. Please, see that this is the only way for me to ensure you accomplish your mission. I will be back, I promise. In the meantime, take care of Morgan and your father. I will never stop loving you all. Morgan, be good to your mother." Morgan nodded through her crying. "And should I not return, all I ask, Lucina, is for you to find somebody to make you happy. Naga knows you deserve it."

"You are the one that makes me happy, Robin, nobody else could ever do that!" Lucina yelled back to him.

Robin smiled that sad smile again, turning back to his other self as his Thoron was ready to be used.

"…YOU WOULD…NOT DARE" Grima said in desperation.

"I would and I will. The evils you would visit on this world are unthinkable… In some way, I- we share the blame. It's only right we meet our end together!"

"…NOOOOOOOOO!"

Robin released Thoron, piercing his other self right through the chest. The Fell Robin coughed a cloud of smoke, and began fading away. Robin released the barrier around him and smiled to his friends, as Morgan and Lucina rushed to hold him. His body began to fade away.

"Robin! No!" cried out Chrom

"Thank you, Chrom. For…everything… Tell the others….my last thoughts were of them….. May we meet again, in a better life… Morgan, Lucina, I love you both with all my heart… Please, take care until I return…." Robin let his tears fall as he was almost completely gone, Lucina desperately trying to grab onto whatever she could of him.

"Robin! Please…. Don't go, don't leave me!" Lucina was sobbing uncontrollably.

"Robin! No! Ah gods, NO!" Chrom fell to his knees as Robin waved and vanished completely.

Lucina held Morgan as they could stop crying, and the other Shepherds only remained silent at the loss of their favorite tactician.

The memories of Robin's adventures flooded his mind. From when Chrom found him, to the mysterious Marth, to the death of Emmeryn, to Chrom's wedding, to the true identity of Lucina, to Valm and back, to his budding relationship and one very painful run in with Chrom, to finding Morgan, to the field where he offered his life, literally, to Lucina, to the events that brought him to the back of Grima. Everything flooded his mind, then finally darkness replaced it, with Lucina's smile on the day he proposed being the last to fade.

* * *

Back on the ground, Chrom looked out to the fallen remains of Grima.

"The war is ended, my friends. Never again will the fell dragon trouble our world. I owe you all far more than words can ever repay. Especially Robin, who gave himself to save us all. To save all worlds to come." Chrom said in a quiet, sullen voice.

"P-poor Robin….After everything he did for us…" Lissa was crying with Lucina and Morgan.

"We'll see him again. I'm sure of it. Remember what Naga said? That Robin would survive if our ties were strong enough. This isn't over. I believe Robin is out there…somewhere….and I'll find him. If it takes the rest of my days, I'll find him." Chrom replied

The rest of the Shepherds gave their agreement that Robin was not gone, with Morgan finally breaking past her tears and crying out "Father…. You can't leave me now. Not like this… I believe in you. Please, come back to me and Mother!"

It was more than Lucina could take. She could not control her tears as she pulled Morgan into a hug, each of them find the other's shoulder with to soak their crying. The man who taught her to love, who gave her a reason to stay and fight, was gone. And there wasn't anything she could do but wait and hope.

"Robin has secured for us all the most precious gift; a future. Now it falls upon our shoulders to protect what was given. I vow to give my all to healing the damage this war wrought upon the realm. When Robin returns, I want him to see what his sacrifice brought. Robin…. If you can hear me…. You will always have a place here with us. Remember that, always." Chrom finished.

The rest of the Shepherds gave their regards and stood staring out upon the setting sun, knowing the war was finally over, but not without a great cost.


	2. Return

**That is right! I want to start my story with not 1, but 2 chapters for your enjoyment!  
**

* * *

**Chapter 2: Return  
**

Darkness. Nothing but darkness stretched for miles, with a single stool being at the center. No matter which way he walked, Robin somehow always ended up back at the stool.

"I guess there is where I'm meant to wait" Robin muttered to himself. And wait he did. He sat upon the small stool. At first for hours. Then what felt like days, weeks, months, years, maybe even decades. Robin knew not how much time could have been passing. All he could do was wait. He did not feel hunger or pain or thirst or any sort of discomfort, and somehow he knew there were people waiting for him, which is all that kept him sane. Well, that and the smiles of his two favorite girls. And so he waited upon that stool, until finally a light appeared in front of him. He wandered towards it and stepped into it, slowly slipping back into his true body and hearing voices for the first time in what felt like a millennium…..

* * *

"Chrom, we have to do SOMETHING"

That familiar voice. He had forgotten the name to which it belonged to. Much of his memory had seemed to fade while in the abyss. Only a few names still remained with him, Lucina and Morgan being the most prominent.

"What do you propose we do"

Wait…..this had happened before. Robin remembered this part. This was when he was first found. Could it be the cycle had restarted? Would he have to redo everything? Light began to fill his eyes as he peered at two familiar figures.

"I….I dunno…."

The name Lissa slowly worked its way into Robin's mind, followed by Lon'qu and Owain, though he did not believe the latter two were there.

"I see you're awake now" The man said to him.

"Chrom…." Robin remembered in his mind.

"Hey there!" The one named Lissa said

Yes, all too very familiar. Why was this happening again?

"There are better places to take a nap than on the ground, you know."

That blasted phrase haunted him. Yes, he was reliving the past. He had no doubts.

"Give me your hand"

Robin reached out to take Chrom's outstretched hand, only to have his eyes open wide when he saw the mark of Grima was no longer on the back of his own hand.

Chrom helped him up, saying only "Welcome back. Its over now."

Robin smiled. After all that waiting, all that time alone, the voice of his friend caused a wave of relief to wash over him. A relief that almost immediately vanished as Robin noticed some gray hair beginning to make its way in Chrom's blue hair. And it then donned on him; time had passed while he was away.

"Ho-….how long….."

Chrom already knew what Robin was asking. "3 years." Chrom sighed. "It has been hard on everyone, but we will be so glad that you are here. Tomorrow is actually the anniversary of when we found you so many years ago. Since your disappearance, we hold an annual get together at the castle and go through findings or reports of you. Almost as if we were celebrating your birthday, without you. Unfortunately, after the first….party, if you would call it that, suitors from all over the land began trying to court-"

"Lucina….." Robin quickly remembered some of his last parting words to her, of finding a new man to make her happy. Somebody that would be there while Robin couldn't. Robin began to choke back tears, trying to stay strong with these thoughts.

"Well….I'm glad she found happiness. Maybe I shouldn't visit. I don't want to intrude on her her-"

"Relax Robin, she didn't accept any offers" Lissa said as she glared back at Chrom, who was obviously enjoying the false realization that Robin came to.

"Sorry Robin, it's just, there's not many ways I can get back at you for taking my daughter away" Chrom said, chuckling.

"hmm…well I just so happened to think of a few grand entrances during my time away. I figure its not every day that a dead man comes back to the living, well not anymore at least, so why not have fun with it?" Robin placed a sly grin on his face.

"I'm listening" Chrom had the same grin as his long lost friend.

"Oh geez, what are we going to get ourselves into" Lissa sighed to herself.

* * *

Robin had stayed the night at an inn about half a mile from the castle. He had already gone over his big reveal with Chrom and Lissa, as if they were back in the war. He even used leaves and sticks to draw up the parlor where the annual party took place, and how the events would work out. He grinned to himself, having been waiting for this moment for a very long time. While he was anxious to get back to Lucina and Morgan, his plan was partly to see if he was truly still in their hearts. He had already discussed this with Chrom too, who would have quite the acting part the following day. While Chrom had promised that Lucina had not given up on him, Robin had insisted that he must see how Lucina responded to some suitors himself, otherwise he would not reveal himself to her, as he wanted nothing more than her happiness. During all his time alone, he had thought of countless plans and disguises, however he no longer had to worry about a disguise. In his absence, Anna had made his coat a new fashion symbol, all in the name of "remembrance of a fallen hero and friend", but Robin and Chrom both knew it was just simply for an easy profit. Regardless, the coat was very commonplace, so Robin would be able to hide under his hood without any fear of being recognized. Something that greatly comforted him, as he felt much more himself in his old gear. He went to sleep with nothing but the hope that Lucina still held him dear to her, as she was what got him through all those years of solace. When morning came, he looked out to see many sullen faces. He then began getting dressed for this day he had anticipated for so long. He stared at the breastplate sitting on the chair. Chrom had brought it over after Robin realized he would need some…..extra protection for when Lucina found out he took an extra day to reveal himself, and all the anger she would have from the breaking of his promise. He almost shuddered at how scary that would be. Naga knows Chrom will enjoy another round of seeing Robin get knocked out. Robin found a smile creeping onto his face, remembering that day Chrom had found them doing….extra training exercises. How long ago was that? 4 years? Truth be told, Robin was more scared for his life that day than the day he actually died. But there was no time for old memories. Robin put the breast plate on under his coat and began walking towards the castle. He kept his hood up the entire time, being sure to shadow his face. The streets were lacking in people, however, so it was not easy to simply blend in. Luckily, nobody seemed to pay any mind to him, save for one little girl that almost blew his cover when she tugged at her mom's dress, pointing at Robin and yelling about how "that's the man from the story books!" Robin felt his heart pounding and quickly ducked into a nearby tavern, relieved as he had heard the mother say that it was impossible for him to be here.

Inside the tavern, Robin decided he needed a bit of liquid courage before facing his wife. As he asked the bartender for a mug of rum, he heard a voice from the past trying to impress a few of the local village girls. He could do nothing but grin at what he was hearing.

"Yes, it is true, my beauties! Not only did I, the great Virion, fight alongside Robin the Hero, but I also bested him at chess time and time again! My intellect is on par with his, and I fought valiantly with him until the very end, where I was about to strike down Grima before Robin fired off his bolt instead! Please ladies, there is enough of me to go around!"

Robin thought back and remembered events going a little differently. Still, he could not resist seeing an old friend before possibly needing a week of healing, courtesy of Lucina. Besides, what harm could one more friend knowing do? Robin quickly finished his drink and hurried to where Virion was making his presence known.

"Haha, ladies please, I am only another soldier here in this great big world—why, hello there kind sir. What may the great Virion do for you? I see you wear the coat of an old friend, would you like to hear the tales of my time alongside him? I promise they are extravagant and more inspi-"

"Outside. Now." Robin said in the deepest tone of voice he could manage.

"But why kind sir? I am sure these ladies would be vastly disappointed if I were to leave them" Virion's color of his face had disappeared, showing his great fear of a close range fight.

"Now." Robin reached out, making sure it was the hand that formerly had Grima's mark, showing everyone that he could not be his true identity, and grabbed Virion's collar, yanking his outside into the alleyway.

"Please sir, I am a lover, not a fighter! Is it coin you want? Please, do not harm my-mmmph"

Robin had quickly covered Virion's mouth with his hand, as to not gain attention. When he was certain the archer would not make any more noise, he pulled back his hood and held a finger to his lips. Virion's eyes immediately widened to the point that they might pop out, and he reached out and pulled Robin into a tight embrace.

"Robin!? When did you get back?"

"Chrom found me yesterday afternoon. I am waiting to reveal myself at the gathering today, but I couldn't help but scare an old friend" Robin smirked.

"Ha, I guess the tactician must have his grand entrance. Figures you would make a plan in these, what, 3 years? Regardless, I am very much looking forward to it. And don't worry, I will be nothing less that the silent snake hidden among the other Shepherds" Virion returned Robin's smile. "We all have missed you so much….it has been especially hard on….her…"

"I know, and I don't think I will ever be able to convince Lucina that I did the right thing" Robin said with his smile fading, before perking back up. "But Thank you, I hope not to disappoint such a master in the art of extravagance and exaggeration" Robin quipped. "Now, I must get going, you shall see me again soon." Robin dashed off before Virion could say another word, pulling his hood up and leaving both of them with a smile. He knew it was finally time to enact his master plan, the one in which he both was excited to see the smiles and tears of his friends, and fearing for the pain of Lucina's wrath.


	3. Reunion Part I

**Chapter 3: Reunion, Part I  
**

The parlor was decorated in black and purple curtains that stretched from the dull yellow arches of the ceiling down to the floor of the room. Around two dozen tables that supported ten people each filled the grand room in the castle of Ylisstol. The tables closest to the interior of the castle were filled with the Shepherds, all dressed in some form of black and purple to honor their fallen friend. While there were smiles going around due to everyone being reunited, they still were not the same happy family as before. The only ones that showed any signs of true happiness were Lissa, Chrom and Virion. Lon'qu, Sumia and Olivia were taking notice of this too, as their spouses seemed too happy for this day, when the two years prior they were stuck in a sullen state, rarely able to smile at Robin's remembrance. They all came to the same conclusion that maybe they were finding a new way to deal with their grief, however.

Lucina sat at the front table, next to the podium that was set up for each member to share their findings from the past year. She hated this day most of all. She had never stopped crying since Robin left. Still having Morgan was both a blessing and a curse. Each day she would wake up and see Morgan sharing her bed, and each day she would be reminded of Robin. In a way, Morgan helped Robin to live on in Lucina's heart. She gave Lucina a reason to keep living and stay in this world, as her love for both her daughter and husband was too great to leave behind. But at the same time, whenever she looked into Morgan's eyes, she saw Robin staring back, and she was reminded of her loss. She had come back in time to prevent such losses, and in this time she had found love when she thought her heart had grown cold through her years. Robin showed her how to smile again, how to express her emotions. He taught her to never give up. And yet, when she was at her happiest, when she was sure they were about to prevent her future from occurring, she lost everything. Now, she rarely smiled. Each day suitors would come try to win her hand, saying such a beautiful princess must move on from her dead husband, that it's what he would want. And in some ways, Lucina believed them. She remembered the night she had tried to strike down Robin and the day he disappeared, where all he wanted was for Lucina to find happiness. But she couldn't just move away from Robin. She just couldn't keep him out of her heart when he was the one that had given it new life. Each time a suitor came, they swiftly were sent away without any hope of her hand. It was even worse when her father was around, who would grow fiercely angry at somebody even daring to take his daughter, especially since he had barely allowed her to marry Robin. He wasn't about to allow a random man to take her daughter's hand in marriage. And yet they all kept coming, even on the day of remembrance. They somehow still had the audacity to try to steal her away, although the first one to try each year quickly found her father holding Falchion to their throats, yelling about how they would dare disrespect Robin in his presence.

And yet, this year Chrom had not so much as budged when the suitors began lining up in front of her. He even seemed to be smiling as they got down on a knee to propose to her. _Like he was encouraging them._ Lucina felt anger start creeping up her neck. Both at the suitors for daring to disrespect her one true love and at her father for not trying to stop them. As the last suitor came up to her, she lost her temper.

"My dearest Lucina, the one far more grand in all the lands, will you please take me as your-"

"NO! For the love of gods, how can you dare come to me on this day!? Have you no respect? I want no other man, Robin was the one for me, and he will return someday!" Lucina glanced over at her father, who had the largest grin on his face, angering her even more.

"But, my dear, your loving tactician is dea-" The suitor croaked on his last word when he saw the rage in Lucina's eyes.

The thing that angered her the most was when somebody tried to break her hope and faith in Robin's return. This sent her over the edge. She grabbed the suitor by the throat and threw him across the floor, fuming in the process. Her face was visibly red in rage. The suitor scrambled out the castle gate as she turned towards her father.

"AND YOU FATHER! HOW DARE YOU ENCOURAGE THEM TO PROPOSE? DO YOU NOT KNOW HOW HARD THIS IS ON ME ALREADY?"

Chrom simply smiled at his daughter and shrugged. "Maybe he was going to be different and bring word of Robin."

Lucina returned to her seat and began to cry, with Sumia reaching over to comfort her daughter.

"I will be sure to talk to him sweetie, I don't know what is going on with him. Or even Virion and Lissa, they are acting rather strangely…maybe they have news for us tonight…." Sumia trailed off

"No….I'm afraid not. If Robin returned, he would come straight to me….unless he truly wanted to die…" Lucina said with tears in her eyes.

Unfortunately, Robin did not hear that last part. However, he had observed the whole spectacle from his table near the castle door, as far away from Lucina and the Shepherds as he could be. However, he was smiling a radiant smile as he saw Lucina was still faithful to him. He noticed Lucina was still wearing the same blue armor as the day he left, while the rest of the Shepherds had chosen to wear black versions of their normal attire, save for Vaike, who had opted for actually wearing a black shirt. He was both excited and nervous for being with his friends again, and hoped that they would accept him back into their lives, much as Chrom, Lissa and Virion had done. He looked back to Lucina, still crying, and patted his thick leather armor, thankful that he might live to see tomorrow.

For Robin's plan to work, he needed Chrom to use his best acting abilities, but he was already finding doubt as Chrom could not stop smiling at his crying daughter. Not exactly the most normal reaction for a father. Regardless, it was time for phase two of his set up plan. He turned to the villager sitting next to him, who strangely resembled Donnel, although was much older and lacked the pot on his head. Robin also knew for a fact that it was not Donnel, a fact that saddened him. Feeling confident that the man wouldn't recognize him, he turned and spoke in a whisper.

"Excuse me, sir. I have a rather….odd task I wish to request to you" Robin said quietly. "The Exalt is going to speak soon, and ask for a moment of silence. I need you to stand up and read this script as loud as you can. Don't worry, you will not get in any trouble, as you can see Chrom signs those very words at the bottom of the script. I cannot tell you why, but please, you must do this for me."

The villager looked at him inquisitively, then noticed the gold coins that were on top of the note, and decided to take Robin up on the request. Giving a small nod, he grabbed the script and started looking over it. Realizing what he was about to say, his eyes opened wide as he stared at Robin.

"Shhhhh….it will all be clear to you soon. I swear to you, nothing bad will come to you for reading these words. Just please, you must do this."

The villager once again gave a small nod and trusted the strange hooded man next to him.

Robin smiled as the set up was finally over. Again, he anxiously glanced over at Lucina, who had calmed down since she had thrown her suitor. "Soon my love…" he whispered. He only hoped that he would still be conscious after his reunion with Lucina's fist. Oh, how he was vastly underestimating her anger…

Chrom stepped up to the podium. Robin had flashed the quick thumbs up to show the preparations were complete. He looked over what he was supposed to say again.

"Ahem…."

Robin held his gut in anxiety. It was time.

* * *

**A/N: Hey there readers!**

**WOW, this story really took off in views, and I am truly humbled at this!**

**Thank you for the reviews so far! I am typing as quickly as I can so I can get more story out there! I know that it sucks to start a story with so little content so far! I am very interested in this part of the story, because I think Robin's return is not given the attention it should be, so I am trying to be very attentive in this part of the story! I originally planned to publish one long chapter today, but as I don't want to keep everyone waiting, I am actually publishing two shorter ones! This way, you get the set up to the big reveal now, and the actual reveal later on tonight!**

**Again, please post reviews, as if I am doing something wrong, I won't know unless you let me know!**

**After I get through this, a chapter describing life at the castle, and the story of Chrom finding out about Robin and Lucina that I have been alluding to, I will start writing stories based on ideas that you, the reader, request to make into the story! They could be things happening in this story's present or stories from the past, but I would most enjoy writing about comical mishaps or the romance between Robin and Lucina! Anyways, Thank you for reading up to this point! I will work hard on getting the next chapter out in a few hours!**

**-Austin**


	4. Reunion Part II

**Chapter 4: Reunion Part II  
**

"Today, we remember a near and dear friend, who sacrificed everything in order to save everyone. Not just the ones in this room, but all of those in the futures to come. With his brave sacrifice, he managed to prevent another tragedy to befall on not only Ylisse, but the entire world" Chrom began his speech.

"_He sure does have a big ego. But I guess he has earned it….hmm….Maybe I will go off script to mess with him…" _Chrom thought to himself as he read the script Robin gave to him.

Chrom looked out to Robin in the back of the crowd and chuckled.

"_Yes, let's see how the 'masterful tactician' reacts to that" _Chrom mused in his head.

"But, like any man, there were still more….human aspects to our brave hero. Let us not forget the times when he was foiled by a frog that was carefully placed by Lissa" Chrom looked over to Lissa, who had caught on to what he was doing and was fighting to hold back laughter. Chrom wasn't sure, but he thought he could already see Robin's face going pale and his fists clenched in anger.

"And also there was the time when he fell asleep dreaming of his love, Gregor" That earned a laugh from the big mercenary, along with all the Shepherds, who thought Chrom was merely reminiscing about the good times they had on their journey.

Robin also realized what Chrom was doing, and slowly switched out his simple wind tome in his coat pocket to the more powerful Elwind tome.

"_We will see who laughs last, Chrom. You aren't getting off easy…" _Robin thought to himself.

"Or who could possibly forget when Sully's horse attacked Vaike and Robin when they were caught peeping at all the women?" That earned the laughter of all the Shepherds, with Vaike chipping in "HEY! That's not how it went! The devil steed attacked us when we were just out looking at clovers!" Still, Vaike could not help but laugh. Even Lucina had a faint smile coming to face.

"_Chrom is going to deeply regret this. Although, it IS nice to see everyone out of their sullen moods for now…" _Robin thought to himself as he too began to chuckle.

"And I remember a certain queen that mentioned how Robin was a sucker for the occasional romance novel. To think, our tactician that tried so hard to be tough as Sully, curled up in his cot reading about how true love could conquer all!" Chrom looked back to Sumia, who was in tears from laughter. Even Lucina could not help but laugh, thinking of her husband reading such novels.

"Or when I convinced him to start checking out wyverns for a mate for Minerva!" Cherche cried out, holding in her laughter.

"_Great. Now everybody is in on it."_ Robin sunk down in his chair, his master plan being defeated.

"What about when he was so nervous to confess his love to Lucina, he came to ME and began to explain a 'dire' situation that his 'friend' was in? Geez, he must have been redder than Henry after battle! Especially after he walked out to find all the guys, minus Chrom and Frederick, listening in!" Inigo yelled out, howling in laughter.

Lucina began blushing. "He….he actually came to you of all people? It's amazing that I didn't reject him for coming on like a pig!" She exclaimed with a big smile upon her face.

Inigo sat back down, realizing he was being mocked, but this only got even greater laughter from the rest of the Shepherds.

"Gregor remember when Robin made with the smooching of Lucina, and Chrom found them! Ah, glorious day, yes? Gregor does not remember Robin running fast as lion before then!" This time Chrom was the one to lose his color in his face. He was not particularly fond of that memory. However, he laughed still, as he knew Robin would be more embarrassed by this story. He glanced over to Lucina, who had a heavy blush upon her face and was trying to slip down as low in her chair as she could.

After the final outburst of laughter from everybody that came with Gregor's story, Chrom resumed his speech.

"Yes, yes. Robin truly was an amazing man. If not for his skill in preserving everybody's lives, then for the memories we made with him over his years with us. I'm sure if he were here now….he would be rushing out the front door after hearing all these stories again" Chrom finished with another fit of laughter, with the rest of the Shepherds joining in as well.

"_Laugh while you can Chrom. I will make sure to wipe that smile off your face"_ Robin thought as he glared at his best friend and father-in-law.

Once the laughter subsided, Chrom finished the speech with, "Now, does anybody have any findings to share of our sweet tactician from the past year?" The room's mood grew into a little more sullen.

Only three people stood up this year; Gregor, Frederick and Morgan. In the first year, Chrom had told Robin, most everyone had stood up to share, as there were many rumors when he had first disappeared. However, last year that number was down to fifteen, as Robin had slowly begun to fade into legend. Frederick took the podium first, clearing his throat before he spoke. Robin was curious as to why Frederick was not with Chrom and Lissa when they found him yesterday, but he soon got his answer.

"*Ahem*…I am sorry to say that, although I led the search party of myself, Severa, Cordelia, Miriel, Stahl and Laurent, we found nothing in all of Plegia. The only hint we found was a small village saying they had heard that a man wearing a black coat had appeared out in the desert, but it turned out to just be Henry." Frederick stepped down and Gregor took his place.

"Gregor look very hard in big country of Valm, using wife as way to search quickly" Gregor glanced over at Nowi and their daughter Nah. "However, all we find was scarecrow wearing robe of Robin. Sad find, but Gregor confident Robin be here soon. Gregor has….how you say….gut feeling." Lucina was again in tears, as she looked at Morgan walking up to the podium, clutching her father's coat as she fought back the tears from her failure to find Robin.

"I….I couldn't find him…. I looked so hard… but… Oh father, why did you have to leave me!?" Morgan began breaking down in tears. "I heard a girl saying she saw my father yesterday, so I looked around but couldn't find him! Father, please come back!" Lucina rushed up to hold her daughter in a tight embrace, both sobbing heavily onto each other's shoulders.

Robin sunk lower in his seat, realizing that he might not survive the blow that would come from both Lucina and Morgan. Still, he had come this far, might as well make the big reveal.

Chrom stepped back up to the podium. "Thank you, everyone. Now, I would like to have bow their heads and give a moment of silence for our fallen friend" Chrom said, obviously trying to hold back a smile.

"_Chrom, I have no idea where your daughter learned to act, because it sure was not from you."_ Robin thought to himself. He glanced over at the Shepherds, who were all quiet and had their eyes closed. He looked over to the villager that he had gave the script to and gave a quick nod. The villager stood up and stared at the script Robin had given him, never looking up from it.

"S-S-stop! Why is o-one man s-so important?" The villager was stuttering like a nervous wreck. Still, Robin could not ask for much better, knowing how scary it must be for the common man. "I th-think this who-whole thing is just a f-f-f-far-farce!" The villager sat back down as fast he could, haven finished the few lines that Robin had given to him.

All the Shepherds were on their feet, staring at the man that had the nerve to disrespect their friend. Lucina began to walk towards him drawing Falchion, before Chrom quickly stepped in front of her, muttering "I've got this."

Chrom began walking slowly towards the villager, who had lost all color in his face and might just faint.

"_Chrom….nobody smiles like that when their 'dead' best friend is insulted" _Robin thought to himself, as Chrom approached their table.

"Sir, I am going to have you to ask you to leave. Nobody insults such a….brave…and talented….man like Robin and sticks around for it" Chrom struggled to say his lines without bursting out in laughter from the way Robin had so 'humbly' written about himself in the script.

"_Oh well, I guess I can't exactly hire Ylisse's best for this play"_ Robin thought as he grabbed onto Chrom's arm, which was reaching for the villager.

"Why, sire, I am afraid that this man is my friend, and I will not allow you to punish him for speaking his mind" Robin said while standing up from his seat. "Chrom, quit smiling!" Robin whispered to his friend. He glanced at the Shepherds to make sure they didn't recognize his voice, and was relieved to see them all in battle stance, not seeming to notice the familiar voice in the situation where their leader was being threatened. Well, everyone except for Morgan, who had dropped her sword down and whispered "Father….?" To herself.

"And what are you going to do about the awful things he said about-"

"ELWIND!" Robin interrupted Chrom, sending a blast of wind magic at Chrom's feet, which blast him sliding across the floor of the parlor back to the Shepherds.

"_And that is what you get for going off script" _Robin thought to himself, smirking at his revenge.

All the Shepherds stepped in front of their fallen leader, holding their weapons, ready to strike at the hooded man that was placing his tome back into his pocket. None of them suspected the true identity of the man. None, except for Morgan, of course. Hearing her father's voice using the tome, she rushed around the side of the parlor, eager to see her dad again, tears streaming down her face.

"You have got some nerve attacking on this day! We will be sure you do not live to see another!" His wife yelled at Robin.

"Looks like it's time to teach you a lesson" Vaike called out.

"Truly, you are one lower than scum" Frederick joined in.

"Damn it, that wasn't supposed to be that strong Ro-" Chrom muttered before Lissa slammed a hand over his mouth, laughing. Virion noticed the two behind the rest of the Shepherds giggling, and went to join them, making sure to whisper that he knew of Robin's plan. From there, they noticed Morgan rushing towards her father, and laughed, knowing how Robin's master plan was about to fail miserably.

"_Finally, time to see the look on their faces"_ Robin thought gleefully to himself, seeing everyone looking ready to kill him. Time for the big reveal. He could hardly contain himself.

"Surely," Robin began to pull back his hood, "you do not mean to attack somebody on their birth-"

That was all Robin could get out before a smaller girl tackled him from the side, knocking his breath away and the rest of his hood falling off, revealing his messy white hair as he sprawled on the ground beneath a crying Morgan.

"_Looks like the armor isn't going to help"_ Robin groaned to himself as pain rushed up his body.

"FAAAAATTTHHHEEEEERRR!" Morgan cried out, her joyous tears streaming uncontrollably.

"H….hi Morgan…how I've….missed you so….much" Robin said between gasps for air, as he held his daughter close to him.

"Father! I knew you would come back! I just knew it!" Morgan cried out.

At this point, the Shepherds rushed over to see if it was truly their returned friend. Lucina was frozen where she was, dropping Falchion and being unable to comprehend the return of her husband.

"_Cou….could it truly be? Has Naga finally answered my prayers….Is Robin finally home?"_ She thought to herself, slowly walking to where the rest of the Shepherds had begun dogpiling on Robin, not hearing the laughter coming from her father, aunt and Virion, who were giddy that Robin's plan had failed so miserably.

She could hear the screams of the Shepherds, but her mind just would not register what they were saying as she was in a state of disbelief.

"Teach knew it was you the whole time! It was all in act!" Vaike yelled victoriously.

"No you didn't, you oaf! You were about to gut the man!" Quipped back Flavia.

"I'm just so happy you are finally back father! I couldn't bear losing you again!" Morgan cried into her father's robe.

"Ro….Robin?" Lucina said quietly as she approached the pile of her friends.

"Uh oh…." Lon'qu muttered, as they all realized they should clear out of Lucina's way. The Shepherds made haste to get off Robin and pulled him up to face his wife, quickly rushing off to the sides of the parlor and whispering "good luck" to their poor friend, who after just one day of being alive again, would quickly be put back into the land of the dead.

"H….hi Lucina" Robin felt his heart pounding, but tried to put on a grin. A grin that quickly started fading when he saw Lucina's face growing red and her knuckles turning white. At this point, he was just thankful that she had dropped Falchion.

"I am so happy to see you, my dear! I had come as quickly as I could!" Robin said, stretching out his arms and walking towards his wife, trying to embrace her. The rest of the room was silently watching.

"I am so sorry for making you wait the past three years. But just know that this whole time, all that kept me going was the thought of-" was all Robin got out before...

SMMMAAAAACK!

Robin crumpled to the ground, his wife shaking in anger as she pulled her hand back to her side. The slap made such a noise that everybody else took a step back. Even Henry, the one who was obsessed with death and blood, cringed at the slap Lucina had given Robin.

"YOU….IDIOT! I told you not to sacrifice yourself! I told you…..stay….we could find a solution together! You promised!" Lucina was stammering in anger, hot tears streaming down her face.

Robin was a bit fuzzy, laying out on the ground, failing to be able to get back up so he simply laid there, his face stinging and his ears ringing.

"Lucina, I know I promised, but I couldn't let there be a chance of a future where Grima-"

"NO! You weren't supposed to be the hero! You were supposed to stay with me! I love you Robin! Do you know how hard it has been, not knowing if you are dead or alive, just waiting to know if you would come home!? How hard it has been on both me and our daughter?" Lucina sunk down to her knees, unable to control her tears.

Robin crawled over to her, wrapping his arms around her.

"I know, I know. It was stupid of me, and I should have stayed. But the entire time I was gone, all that kept me going through the darkness was the thought of holding you and Morgan in my arms again. Lucina, you are so dear to my heart, and I would never break the promise I gave you when I proposed. I will always be here for you, I know I broke the promise before fighting Grima, but you have to listen to me! I did not want there to be a chance where another future like yours occurred! It had to be done!"

"Oh Robin…..You are still an idiot….but…I have missed you so much!" Lucina cried into her husband's shoulder, gripping onto his sides, thankful to finally be able to hold him again.

Robin stoked her hair, and whispered gently in her ear, "I love you, Lucina."

"I…I love you too Robin!" Lucina said between her sobs.

Morgan rushed in to hold her parents, crying with tears of joy that her family had finally been reunited.

The rest of the Shepherds, realizing that Robin might just survive to see the next day, huddled around the crying family and all embraced. After all, they were all family, right?

And for the first time in three years, Lucina looked into Robin's eyes, the eyes Morgan shared with him, and rather than cry, she smiled brighter than anybody else in the room…..

Well, maybe except for Chrom, who could not stop laughing after seeing his daughter knock Robin to the floor.

"_That idiot thought to wear body armor, but did not even think of a helmet? Gods, how did we ever survive three wars with him at the helm?" _Chrom chuckled to himself.

"Lissa, you should probably get your healing staff. Robin might need help recovering from that slap. Naga only knows the few other things that could make Henry show a look of pain."

"You got it, Chrom, although for now let's just let the everyone smile a little bit longer" Lissa smiled while overlooking the rest of the Shepherds crying into each other as their friend had finally returned.

"After all, what is the rush? He will need more healing than that once you realize that he will be sharing a room with your daughter, in your very own castle. After all, Morgan still doesn't exist in this world, and she only has one way to come about, and I don't see any vacation time in Robin's near future." Lissa laughed as she went to join the rest of the Shepherds with Virion, but not before turning to see her brother's face go completely pale as he realized what she had just implied.

"Not….not in my castle….that dastard…I'll kill him….." Chrom sputtered in a phased out rage.

Lissa laughed as she rushed to join the rest of her big, happy family. Robin had finally returned, and the world was finally right again.

Lucina was all smiles as she held her husband close, the rest of the Shepherds finally getting up and giving them space.

"I love you so much. I will never leave your side again" Robin said to his blushing bride.

"You better not, otherwise you might not survive the next slap" Lucina joked, giving his arm a small punch.

Robin looked up at Chrom, who was staring at the floor as he marched towards them, gripping Falchion.

"Huh….I havn't seen that look since when he walked in on us when we first started dating" Robin winked at Lucina. "I wonder why he has that look again…"

"Ha, maybe he realized we will be sharing a room, now that everything is back to normal" Lucina smiled at her husband.

"Maybe" Robin smiled back, before his eyes burst open wide, realizing that was exactly what was happening. He had not even thought about how he would be staying with them, and how his wife _was_ his best friend's daughter. A best friend that, three years ago, attempted to geld him after walking in on the two sharing a kiss.

"Well….shit" was all Robin got out before he turned to sprint out the door of the castle, unfortunately tripping on himself, as he was still dizzy from Lucina's slap.

He turned and saw Lissa in hysterics as Chrom closed the gap.

"Now Chrom, don't do anything rash here…. Remember, you DID give me permission to marry her….c'mon buddy, no need to get violent here…" Robin stammered as he tried to crawl away.

"Not in my castle…." Was all Robin could hear Chrom stammering.

He looked to his bride for help, but she, along with the rest of his so called friends, could not contain their laughter. "Chrom please no!" Robin yelled, as his father-in-law threw his first punch at him.

And the rest of the Shepherds simply laughed at the scene, happy that their tactician had finally returned, and life could finally start getting back to normal. Lucina held Morgan close, as they watched their loved one be mercilessly beaten by Chrom, struggling to contain their laughter. Yes, at long last, their worrying had come to an end, and they had finally found the strength to smile and return to life as they knew it.

* * *

**A/N: Phew! This is the main reason I wanted to write this story, and I decided it needed this length to have the feeling and emphasis it deserved! But man, did it take a while to write! Regardless, I promised everyone two chapters today, and I'll be damned if I let you down! The next chapter may take a little while to come out (no longer than a week, I promise), and it will detail the day following the one described this chapter. Afterwards, I will do a chapter describing this infamous moment where Chrom discovered his daughter and best friend that I have hinted at! After that, I hope you guys will leave suggestions as to other stories for me to write about! Please, I look forward to your ideas! Anyways, I will see you all in about a week!  
**

**Also! If anybody has a cover image for this story, by all means shoot me a PM so I can put it up! I'll be sure to credit you in the next A/N!**

**-Austin**


	5. Lucina

**Chapter 5: Lucina  
**

Robin awoke with a start. He was panting, confused as to where he was. All he saw was darkness around him, a sight he was used to. However, he was not sitting on a stool, he was lying in a bed. He glanced around, trying to adjust his eyes. The first thing he noticed was the breathing next to him. He looked behind him to find his wife, Lucina, asleep at his side. Robin breathed a long sigh of relief.

When he was in the darkness for three years, Robin had no need to eat or sleep. Now, his body had returned to needing these necessities, and it was hard to get used to them again. Each time he fell asleep he could not distinguish dream from reality, and was afraid that each time he woke up in darkness, he had returned to his three year prison.

However, every time he saw the love of his life next to him, he knew he was where he truly belonged. He knew he had returned. And slowly, the memories of his return would make their way back to his mind. Robin put his arm around his wife and placed his hand in hers, which caused Lucina to give a smile and a noticeably happy sigh as she pressed her back against him. Robin knew he never wanted to leave this again, and questioned how he could have been so stupid as to allow a chance where he never got to be with Lucina again. He simply laid there, content with Lucina in his arms, and reminisced on what had happened since his 'big' reveal.

A week had passed since the party. After Chrom had finished attacking Robin, he collapsed next to his son-in-law and began to apologize.

"I-I'm sorry Robin…I don't know what came over me"

"Don't worry about it Chrom" Robin winced at the pain coursing through his chest, where he had been struck many times, "I understand that you are just being protective. But I will get my payback" Robin grinned to his friend.

"Ha, as if. Then you would have to face the blue haired duo again, and it doesn't seemed like you faired so well the first time" Chrom returned Robin's grin.

Lucina sat down next to her husband. "Yes, I believe the genius tactician has learned his place in the family" she said with a laugh.

"I guess you should get to cleaning duty before we get angry again. You wouldn't want to anger my princess and I, would you?" Chrom laughed along with Lucina.

Robin looked down at the ground. "I didn't realize my return meant having to cater to your every wish, your royalnesses" Robin replied, knowing how Chrom and Lucina hated formalities.

"Relax, I'm just messing with you. Now please, go spend some time with my daughter. If only you knew how hard she has had it…I will cover for you with the Shepherds, now go" Chrom whispered to Robin.

Robin gave Chrom a nod of thanks, and took Lucina's hand, slowly getting up. The two left to the second floor of the castle and Lucina led him to a room towards the back of a corridor.

"This is our room. This is the room I have spent so much time in since you left….Robin I'm so happy you are home" Lucina latched her arms around Robin, allowing a few tears to again run down her face.

"I'm glad too" Robin smiled, returning the embrace.

The two sat down on the bed and took each other's hands into their own.

"So what has happened since I left?" Robin asked

"Well, we rarely see the Shepherds anymore, everyone is off on their own adventures. My younger self is being called Lucy to avoid confusion. She is currently being watched over by Cynthia in the garden. We thought it best not to expose her to the sad truths of the world. Not yet at least…Robin…"

Robin glanced up at Lucina, who was tightening her grip on his hand and staring at the ground.

"Please…..please don't leave us again…it was so hard….not having you here…just please promise you won't ever lea-mmpphh"

Robin stopped his wife from crying by pressing his lips against her. At first Lucina tried to back away, as she had not expected it, but slowly closed her eyes and leaned back into her husband.

Robin allowed their lips to part and looked into Lucina's eyes and gave her a big smile.

"I promise Lucina. I will never leave your side again."

And with that, Lucina smiled and blushed and tackled her husband down on the bed, resting her head upon his chest. She could hear his heartbeat and his rushed breaths. She smiled, knowing that this was no dream. And for the first time in a long time, she was truly happy. At least, for a moment.

"Oh hey look these flowers DO need watering, just as I thought!" Chrom entered the room, speaking in a rushed voice and absent mindedly acted like he was observing the flowers by the window across from Lucina and Robin's bed.

Lucina quickly sat up and blushed a deep crimson. "FATHER! What are you doing?"

Chrom looked back to his daughter nervously. "Ah I just remembered there were flowers that were dying in this particular room, how would I have known you two were in here?" Chrom said, scratching the back of his head.

"Father, I have lived in this room for three years. You come in here every day. There is no way you do not know I live here." Lucina said, rather annoyed.

"Yes well…." Chrom started, before Sumia interrupted him.

"Well hello dear, what are you doing here?" She said with a smile. "I thought we were leaving these two love birds alone for a little while?" She winked at Lucina, who began to blush again.

"Well these flowers needed watering so I thought I would just-"

"Oh stop it Chrom, let's just go and leave these two alone. It's been three years, and I bet they have a lot of catching up to do." Sumia grabbed Chrom and pulled him out the room, with a defeated look on his face.

"You two get to it, I'm looking forward to the second Morgan!" Sumia cried out happily as she left.

"Mother!" Lucina replied, looking like she was about to die.

Robin, who had remained silent the whole time, simply started laughing.

"That was only a little awkward" He said, pulling Lucina back onto his chest.

"Yes, I thought I might have to jump out that window only about four times." Lucina shook her head.

"On the bright side, I might have an idea as to what we can do to clear the air" Robin pulled Lucina up to his face.

"Oh yeah? And what might that be?" Lucina said with a devilish smile.

"Just an idea I got from an outside source a second ago" Robin began blushing as he kissed Lucina again.

"Hmm…I think I have the same idea" Lucina returned the blush.

"Well, if we concur, let's get started"

* * *

Robin smiled at the memory. The sun had started to appear over the horizon. The rest of the week had gone rather well. Robin had to fill out a lot of paperwork, as apparently it is difficult for a dead man to return to life. Robin took the job as the Ylissean army's chief tactician, but Chrom assured him there were no signs of war anytime soon. Robin spent the rest of his time relaxing with Lucina and Morgan at his side. He knew this was how he wanted to spend the rest of his life.

Lucina turned over to look at her husband, who she found was awake early in the morning again.

"Hi" was all she said, with a large smile on her face, her eyes barely opened.

"Hi" Robin returned the smile.

Lucina again gave a happy sigh and pressed her head up against Robin's chest. They laid there for another hour, perfectly happy just holding each other and not having to say a word. This silence was finally broken when Morgan rushed into the room and dove onto their bed, landing right on top of Robin.

"oof" Robin let out a pained groan.

"Father! Mother! What are we going to do today" Morgan exclaimed as she wrapped her arms around both of them.

Lucina smiled and shook her head. "I thought I would go into town and get some groceries while you and your father practiced some strategy."

"Aww but Mother! I want to spend time with both of you!" Morgan cried out in desperation, trying to get Lucina to stay.

"Morgan, I will be back before dinner and we can all play a game afterwards" Lucina smiled and ran her hand through Morgan's dark blue hair.

"Fine, but I will hold you to that promise!" Morgan replied, closing her eyes as she enjoyed her mother's caress.

"Well, I guess that means it's time to get up" Robin picked Morgan up and got off the bed, then turned and tossed her back onto the bed with her mother. Robin went to the closet and picked out a white shirt and his coat, the outfit he was so comfortable in.

"Very well, I will be back soon, my loves. Please don't destroy the place while I'm gone." Lucina told them, before giving her daughter and husband each a kiss and heading out the door to meet with Sumia at the markets.

After she was gone, Morgan looked to her father and asked him in a hushed voice, "Father, are we actually going to learn more strategy?"

Robin laughed, and replied in the same volume of voice, "Of course not, I say we take a little stroll around the castle."

"Yay! And you can tell me everything about the wars right?"

"Of course dear, whatever you want to know." Robin smiled and rubbed his daughter's head.

* * *

Robin and Morgan were sitting on a bench overlooking the castle gardens, which were a brilliant display of daisies, tulips and roses, all thanks to Sumia's obsession with flowers. The two looked like clones of each other, sharing the same coat and same brown eyes, the distinguishable feature being Morgan's blue hair and Robin's white hair.

"So, Father, how did you meet Mother?" Morgan asked with a smile on her face.

"Huh? Morgan I thought we have told you this story?"

"Well yes, but that was always when I was with both you and Mother. I want to hear it from you without any bias and just from what happened with you! Plus, I could never grow tired of this story" Morgan looked into her father's eyes with a look that she had learned Robin could never say no to.

"Fine fine I can tell you. But which 'meeting' do you want to hear? When I met Marth? When I found out Marth was a woman? When I found out Lucina was Marth's real name? Or the first time I actually talked to your mother?"

"hmmmm" Morgan thought for a long while. "The last one!" She finally decided, with a hint of triumph in her voice.

"Haha very well, Morgan. It was a rainy day and we were on the way to Port Ferox to intercept the Valmese invaders. We had set up camp for the night, and I had just sat down alone for dinner in the mess hall when a certain somebody sat down across from me…." Robin smiled at the memories flooding his mind.

* * *

"Huh? Oh hello Lucina." Robin looked up from his stew that he was absently eating with surprise. Lucina had never tried to talk to him before and generally kept her distance from everybody except for Chrom and Sumia. However, with the two busy in a strategy meeting with the khans, he supposed she didn't have much to do.

"Hello Robin, sorry if I am interrupting you, I can leave if you prefer." She replied nervously. Lucina had never been good at talking to strangers, and found herself cautious at the Shepherd's tactician, a man she had never heard of before in all the stories about the Shepherds.

"Oh no, you aren't interrupting me. I am happy that you are joining me" Robin said with a smile, but quickly kicked himself mentally for what he just said, hoping she did not get the wrong impression. He found himself talking too close to the line of flirting with her, as he had quickly noticed her beauty, even when he still believed that she was Marth, a sellsword of Ylisse. He was happy when Lucina did not seem to respond to the comment.

"I have never actually heard about you before. How did you end up working with my father?" Lucina asked.

"Well, I woke up in a field. I have no memories prior to that day your father found me in that field. He quickly discovered my skill with strategy, sword and magic, and I became the Shepherd's tactician. It's a boring story, I know."

"And he just trusted you? It seems very suspicious to me."

"Yes, I told Chrom the same. I told him he shouldn't just help everyone in need, but he insisted that he would never turn down somebody asking for help."

This brought a smile to Lucina's face, as she knew how kind her father was. "Please make sure he is more careful in the future. Robin, I must make sure the future doesn't repeat itself."

"Don't worry Lucina. I will never let that happen. You are far too important to m-" Robin caught himself before he made another statement he would regret. "-us." He finished.

"Thank you Robin. Your words mean a lot to me. I just wanted you to know how important my father is to me."

"As he is to me." Robin smiled as the blue haired princess got up from the table and walked towards the exit of the mess hall.

"And Lucina!" Robin cried out before she left. Lucina turned back to see the tactician taking quick strides towards her.

"I will be here whenever you need somebody to talk to. You are not in this alone. I just…..needed you to know that." Robin blushed a little as he smiled and returned to his seat. Once again he kicked himself for being too close to flirting with his best friend's daughter. He just couldn't help it. Every time he looked into her beautiful blue eyes, all he could think was how much we wished to embrace her. But he knew it could never be. Why would the princess care for a man she had never heard of that was found out in a field. It was likely he would be dead long before he could even try to win over Lucina. But still, he could not fight his feelings for her.

Unknown to Robin at the time, Lucina exited the tent with a blush creeping up her neck. She had found herself thinking of the tactician in her free time, and was drawn to a certain charm of his. And she could not help but wonder if he returned this same attraction. She had finally found the courage to come talk to him after a long while of thinking if it would be ok, she had gone out to find him. Now, all her thoughts were going back to the two things Robin said, that he was here for her to talk to, and that he was happy to have her company.

"_Oh Robin….why do you give me such a strange knot in my stomach when I think of you…."_ Lucina thought to herself, clutching her chest as she rushed back to her tent, hoping nobody noticed the smile that would not seem to fade since she left Robin at the mess hall.

* * *

"And that was the first time I truly met your mother" Robin smiled at the memory of how clueless they were. Looking back, they had been attracted to each other from the start. He could not be happier with how things had ended up.

"And then you told Mother that you loooooooved her!" Morgan said in a teasing voice, nudging her father.

"Haha yes, but there was quite a bit that happened before then." Robin smiled as he rustled his daughter's hair.

"Like what Father? Please, finish the story! You know how much I love you and Mother!"

"We can finish he story later, it is almost dinner time and I see a certain princess that I need to go sweep off her feet" Robin got up and started walking towards Lucina, who had been waving at them as she approached the castle. Robin quickly walked over to her and swooped his left arm behind her knees and caught her back with his right arm, picking her up and twirling her around.

"Oh Robin put me down!" Lucina exclaimed, though she couldn't hide her enjoyment very well.

"Never, a beautiful woman like yourself should never have to take more steps than required." Robin gave his wife a long kiss while holding her, and when he released his lips he saw she was blushing.

"Robin….I truly love you with all my heart" She said with a soft smile.

"And I love you too" Robin returned her smile. "Now let's get some dinner, I'm famished!" Robin carried Lucina off towards the dining hall, with Morgan at his side.

Lucina settled into her husband's arms, resting her head on his shoulder. She smiled down to her daughter. "And what did you two do today?"

"Father was just telling me how much he loved seeing you when you two first met!" Morgan replied.

"Oh did he now? I hope he didn't exclude how nervous and straight forward he was in making his enjoyment of my presence known" Lucina remarked, giving a wink to Robin and laughing.

"He didn't, but I want to hear more of how you two met!"

"Don't worry Morgan, we can tell you tonight after our game" Lucina closed her eyes as Robin carried her to their table in the dining hall, right next to Chrom, Sumia, Cynthia and Lucy.

Lucina had not been this happy in a long time, and she knew that this happiness would not disappear anytime soon. She had the man she loved holding her, her family around her, and her daughter who had proven to be the best daughter she could ask for. "_This was well worth the three years of waiting"_ She thought to herself, as a smile filled her face.

* * *

**A/N: I decided the easiest way to tie together future and past antics is to have means of story telling. Don't fret, it won't always just be stories to Morgan! I have already decided the story of Chrom finding out about Robin and Lucina (*hint hint*) will involve quite a bit of heavy drinking among the male Shepherds (Again, *hint hint*). I will try to get another chapter out soon, but I make no promises about when. Well, I make the promise that it will be out before a week has passed. Anyways, make sure to leave a review so I know how to improve.  
**

**As always, thanks,**

**-Austin**


	6. Robin

A/N:** Woah, another chapter already! I really hate author's notes at the beginning, and I hate sounding whiny too, but some things just have to happen. Although this story has many views, favorites and follows, there are almost no reviews. While the other three help, reviews are what really motivate me to pump out chapters for you guys. It makes me feel like I am connected to the readers, and it makes me want to write more for you. It also helps me know what is good and what is bad. So if you have written a review, thank you so much! If not, please just take a minute to leave one for me and let me know this story means something to you! Now I promise not to do anymore A/N at the beginning!**

* * *

**Chapter 6: Robin  
**

Morgan looked out through the darkness, with nothing but a few flickering torches along the castle's wall's to guide her. She scanned the area below her and gave a sigh of relief when she was sure she was alone. She tried to still her heart, but it would not rest, beating ferociously inside her chest. She examined the tree branch that she was sitting on and felt confident that the foliage surrounding her would hide her from the captors. Just as she entered a full state of relaxation, a voice behind her almost caused her to jump from the tree.

"What are you doing here, blue?" Gaius asked while moving his lollipop to one side of his smile, content with the scare that he saw he gave to the teenager.

"Ga…gaius! Why are you in this tree?" Morgan asked between gasps of breath, surprised that she did not fall of the limb she was straddling.

"I believe I just asked you that question first" Gaius replied smugly.

"I'm playing hide and seek with my parents! And you almost gave me away!" Morgan felt a small anger building inside her. She had loved hide and seek, mostly because she was so good at finding small crevices or spaces that she could squeeze into and was never found. The only issue being her tendency to giggle when she heard her parents approaching, which almost always gave her away. She was fine with this though, since she did it to herself, but the fact that the thief was the one that almost spoiled the game simply angered her.

"Sorry, kiddo. Didn't realize this was so serious. Sometimes you are a bit too much like your mother" Gaius pulled out his lollipop and examined it, frowning as he noticed he was starting to taste the paper stick. He tossed it out of the tree and began to unwrap a new one.

"Ack! What hit me? Why is it wet? Why is it sticky?" Morgan heard her mother exclaim.

"_Has she been down there this whole time?"_ Morgan thought to herself as she realized that she did not even notice her mother approaching.

"Calm down, dear. It is just a lollipop that fell from the magical sweets tree" Robin snickered to himself.

"Come on down, Morgan and Gaius" Lucina called up to them with a frown.

"Aww fine" Morgan pouted as she made her way down the tree trunk and looked up to find the sweets thief had already leaped to another tree and made his way back into the castle via an open window.

"Looks like we found you. Too bad the apprentice still can't fool the master" Robin complimented himself with a sly grin, which earned him a small smack to the back of his head from his wife.

"You did good Morgan, we spent the better half of an hour looking this time. Soon we won't be able to find you at all" Lucina encouraged her daughter, who boasted a large smile in return for the praise.

"Aw thanks Mother. Now, I remember you had promised not to leave me on a cliff hanger!"

"Ah…yes…I was hopeful you had forgotten…" Lucina let out a large sigh. "Very well, let's go get some tea and I will tell you all about the following day. Meanwhile, I believe your father has some work he needs to get done." Lucina looked over her shoulder at the bewildered tactician.

"But….but….I like tea too…" The look on Robin's dejected face caused Lucina to break into a round of hysterical laughing. As she wiped her tears away, she started walking away from the tactician with Morgan following. She waved back at Robin without turning around and yelled out, "Good luck with all that paperwork! I'm sure Morgan and I will survive without you!"

* * *

Lucina poured the piping hot tea into a ceramic mug and handed it to her daughter, who was sitting at a small table in the kitchen, rings of fatigue rounding her eyes from the time she had spent up in the tree.

"Thank you Mother" she said in a quiet voice, cupping the mug with both hands and blowing on it to attempt to cool it off. The smell of black tea had filled the room, giving an earthy, but pleasant scent.

Lucina poured herself a cup of tea and sat down across from the teenager, who then sat forward and looked deep into Lucina's eyes with anticipation.

Lucina let off a small sigh. "Dear, I just want to warn you that this part could be a little…..awkward. If at any point you want me to stop, just let me know" Lucina gave a warm smile to her daughter, who responded with an eager nodding as she drank deep from her mug.

"Very well….it all started the day following my first exchange with your father. Little did we know, our relationship would take a huge bound that day, but not at our own doing…."

* * *

Lucina stretched as the morning sun's light creeped through the split in her tent flap. She donned her blue armor and cape and began to tie on her boots. "_Maybe today I can talk to Robin again…."_ Her heart fluttered. "_No, no. Robin is not my mission. I must see that Father is safe. That is why I am here"_ Lucina was very stern with herself. She looked over to the book that the tactician had let her borrow, although she had never actually read it, her borrowing it the night prior was an excuse for her to see him twice. "_Perhaps I will just swing by his tent to return the book as I head to Father's tent….yes I don't see any harm in that…."_ Lucina smiled at her masterfully thought up plan. She strapped on Falchion and headed out into the crisp morning air. She walked along the tents until she found Robin's, an ordinary light brown tent that was about the size of a small room in Ylisstol's castle.

"Ahem…" Lucina cleared her throat outside Robin's tent.

"One second!" She heard called from the inside. Her stomach tied itself in a knot again, though she forced herself to calm down a little before Robin finally opened the tent flap, giving her a quick smile as he gestured for her to come inside. Unfortunately, neither of them noticed Vaike and Virion, who had followed Lucina here and began snickering as the planned to prank their friends.

Back inside the tent, Robin pulled out a chair for Lucina. She accepted the offer, even though she had told herself that she was just going to return the book. Seeing Robin's smile made her knees weak for some unknown reason, so the chair helped to stabilize her. Robin walked over to his desk and closed the large, dusty strategy manual that was open to the chapter about fighting on the sea versus fighting on land. He turned to the blue haired princess, who now sat with her hands folded in her lap and sat stiffly, causing him to mentally sigh as he knew she was still closing herself off from everybody.

"So what brings you here this early in the morning? I would think the princess would need more sleep" Robin said with a grin. Lucina looked at the ground, not returning the smile, only holding a straight face.

"When I was in the future, there wasn't any time to sleep. Once you closed your eyes, you never knew if you would wake up. It was a constant struggle to survive" Lucina had a dead look in her eyes. Robin's smile quickly faded and he was about to go put his hand on her shoulder, but he remembered how closed off she was and decided maybe she wouldn't want him comforting her. After all, she didn't really know him.

"I'm sorry, Lucina. It was just a jest….but I promise you that I will never let that future happen. Your father and I will work without rest to ensure the fell dragon is never revived" Robin said to her, which earned a small smile from the princess.

"You have my gratitude. The reason I came here was just to return your book" Lucina pulled out the leather bound book about fighting the unknown and handed it to the tactician.

"Oh you didn't have to worry about returning this. I've read it enough times to recite it to you from memory" He said with a grin. "Maybe one day I can give you a performance showing off my memory" Robin complimented himself.

"For an amnesiac, you seem confident about your memory" Lucina quipped at him, which caused the tactician to sink back into the chair at his desk.

"Well, you have me there" Robin let out a sigh, then picked back up his normal smile. "Still, thank you for coming over. I will do anything to cheer you up" he said awkwardly. When he saw the blush creeping onto Lucina's face, he realized he spoke without thought again. "Uh…I will…see you later today Lucina. I am going to straighten up and then I will hope-I mean I will likely see you again" Robin spoke with the most professional voice he had, but he spoke in a choppy, robotic manner. The princess stifled a laugh at Robin's flustered state as she stood from the chair and walked to exit the tent.

"Thank you for looking out for me, but truly you do not have to. I can look out for myself. Still, I appreciate the concern. And yes, I am sure that I will likely see you again lat- huh?"

Lucina found that the tent flap would not move. It seemed to be stuck in place, preventing her from escaping the tent. Robin walked over and examined the flap, realizing it had been staked down from the outside.

"That's…..strange. Who would do this…" Robin wondered, but was answered by two unmistakable laughs from outside, followed by what sounded like two hands slapping each other.

Vaike and Virion laughed at the tent, which was now heavily staked down from the outside, preventing anybody from the inside to escape. They had done this because they had seen how flustered the two were at dinner the night prior, but thought this was just because the two were awkward, not suspecting it had anything to do with their feelings for each other.

"When shall we let the two out?" Virion asked his partner in crime.

"Eh, I say we get some breakfast then come back. Teach needs a full belly in order to deal with any of the blue haired crew. Maybe we can tell Chrom his daughter is locked in a tent with his best friend." Both the men laughed as they walked towards the mess hall.

Inside the tent, Lucina was panicking as she saw she was locked in the tent with Robin, the guy that made her stomach tie itself in knots. Up to now, she had controlled what she said by being cold and distant, but she did not know how she could keep this up. The tactician simply shrugged and sat back down at his desk, being used to the pranks of the Shepherds.

"Guess we will just have to wait this one out. Don't worry about it, these pranks happen every couple days" Robin sighed with a smile.

"But isn't that dangerous? What if we are attacked? This kind of behavior could endanger the whole group and it is very irresponsible!" Lucina was talking in a panicked voice, but Robin stood up and walked over to her, hesitating before placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Yes, while that is a risk, these pranks keep camp moral up. Keep in mind we could very well be marching into a battle where casualties run high. I'd much rather have my friends enjoying themselves than worrying about their lives, when we don't know how much time we have left."

Lucina looked to the ground, blushing at the pressure from Robin's hand on her shoulder.

"I…I guess I hadn't thought about it like that…I'm sorry Robin, I just want to keep Father safe" Lucina looked back up to the tactician. Robin looked deep into her eyes and smiled.

"I understand, and I promise we all want to keep him safe as well" Lucina smiled at that reassurance. "However, that doesn't mean that your father is excluded from these pranks. Giving or receiving" Robin chuckled at the confused look on the princess' face.

"Don't worry, he enjoys them as well" Robin tried to reassured Lucina, but she kept the confused face as she imagined her father locking somebody inside their tent.

"We will be fine. In the meantime, why don't you tell me about yourself? You can lay down as well if you wish" Robin gestured towards his collection of blankets on the ground that made up his bedding as he sat down at his desk. Lucina smiled and leaned Falchion against the tent walls and laid down onto the blankets putting her hands behind her head. She let out a soft sigh. The blankets smelled of Robin, which made her feel as if he was embracing her. The thought brought absolute bliss to her mind, but this bliss was interrupted when Robin spoke, making the princess realize what she was just thinking and causing a small blush to creep onto her face.

"How are you fitting in around here, Lucina? I always see you talking to your father and mother, but apart from me you never seem to talk to anybody else" Robin said with a look of concern. He wanted the princess to feel welcome in their ragtag group, a feeling that came both from his attraction to the beautiful blue haired woman and his concern he had for each of his fellow Shepherds.

"I….I am just so happy to see my parents again. And I haven't talked to many others because….I'm not sure if they accept me…" Lucina looked down at her feet, before feeling a presence at her side. She glanced over to see Robin had taken a knee next to her and was looking into her eyes. He wore a stern face that made her somewhat recoil.

"Lucina. Everybody in this camp would love to talk to you. You are our family, and we would never turn our backs on you. We will always be here for you. We will always protect you. We will help you fulfill your mission. You are not in this alone, you have each and every one of us to help you with this burden. Please, promise me you will try to talk to the others. I guarantee that they will accept you with open arms."

The princess sat up and began feeling hot tears at her eyes. Without thinking, she burst forward and wrapped her arms around the tactician, who was caught off guard. Lucina sobbed into his shoulder.

"Thank…you Robin. For all your kindness" Robin eventually returned the embrace after he got over the shock. His heart began to race as he held her, and he hoped she could not feel it. Lucina seemed to also realize what she was doing and released the tactician, blushing but also unable to remove the smile from her lips.

"I…I'm sorry. You are just so kind to me. I can never truly thank you for helping me" Lucina smiled at Robin, who was now looking flustered and seemed like he was stumbling over words in his head.

"I-i-it's no problem Lucina. Really, don't worry about it. I just want to help a-"

Robin was interrupted by the sound of stakes being pulled up and the tent flap being opened, resulting in Vaike and Virion entering the tent. At the sight of Robin on a knee and Lucina on his bedding, they could only laugh and come to certain conclusions.

"Aw, did Teach interrupt the love birds trying to make Chrom a grandfather?" Vaike jested at them. Both turned bright red, but at least Robin understood it was a joke and played it off with a quiet laugh. Lucina, unfortunately, was not good with humor.

"N-n-n-no! I-I would n-never do that! E…especially with Robin! It's not like that I swear!" Robin gave a slight look of dejection at the princess' words, hearing that she would never think of being with him. Vaike and Virion simply looked at each other and burst out laughing. After the laughing attack wore off, Virion grinned at the princess.

"Surely, it was just a jest! We would never imply such things on a beauty like yourself. However, upon observation, it is hard not to notice the same dumbstruck look you two share. If I did not know better, I would say you two are in love! But what a tragedy it would be! The best friend and the daughter of our noble leader, trying to create a relationship in secrecy….it would be….marvelous" Virion said in his most regal voice. He laughed and left the tent with Vaike, however he noticed the contemplative look now shared between the princess and the tactician. At that moment, the two left in the tent shared the same thought.

"_Do they really have the same feelings as me?"_

They both awkwardly got up from the ground and dusted themselves off. Lucina picked up her sword. Robin looked over to her.

"You don't….feel that way about me, right?" The princess blushed again, but hid her face as she answered.

"N-no! Of course not! D-do you feel that way about me?" She stuttered.

"No! I mean, that would be ridiculous, right?"

"Yes! Of course! Could you even imagine, us having to sneak off to see each other to hide our feelings? Certainly we would never be able to tell Chrom! It is ridiculous even thinking of such a thing!"

"You are right. Now, let's go get some breakfast before they decide to lock us in here again"

Robin smiled as he held the tent open for Lucina. Unknown to either of them, they both were secretly disappointed that the other didn't seem to return the other's affection, and they both were relishing in the idea of sneaking away together.

* * *

"Haha, there were plenty of times that your father and I would end up sneaking away after we had confessed our feelings….though that did not happen until after we had reached Valm…." Lucina remembered as she stared at the ceiling, a smile forming on her face. She glanced down and saw that Morgan had fallen asleep at some point during the story, her face now covered in drool as she had rested her head on the table. "_I must have been too caught up in my own memories"_ Lucina smiled to herself. She picked up the asleep teenager and went to tuck her into bed, blowing out the candle as she left.

"_Robin, I am sure glad we didn't listen to each other that day. I don't know what I would do if you never realized I loved you"_ Lucina smiled one last time as she went to join her husband in their bedroom.

* * *

**A/N: I will try to get another chapter out this week, but I have some essays to write. Please leave ideas for stories you want to see, in the past time or in the future time. Also, is it me or are Ryuko Matoi and Lucina _basically_ the same person? Special sword, blue hair, fight for their father, yea all the signs are there. Anyways, see you next time.**

**-Austin**


	7. Oceanic Adventures

**Chapter 7: Oceanic Adventures**

"Father….I miss her….I miss Mother…."

Morgan was curled into a ball, pressed against her father's side on his bed. She had been crying. Robin was in no better shape. He was stricken by grief. Lucina was gone. It had been three days since she had left them. Nothing could cheer them up. They had been lying in the darkness, leaving for only small amounts of time. Not even Chrom could cheer the two up.

"I know Morgan….I miss her too…." Robin laid on his back, a sorrowful expression on his face. The blankets were thrown across the floor. The room was a mess. Yet the two did not care. All of a sudden, there was a knock at the door that caused the two to slightly lift their heads and stare at the door. It creaked open, causing light to flood into the room. Lucina stepped in, placing her luggage on the inside of the room. Morgan leaped off the bed and ran to give her mother a giant hug.

"Mother!" Morgan squealed in delight, wrapping her arms first around her mother's waist, then slipping down and holding onto her right leg with her arms and legs, making sure Lucina couldn't leave her. In this time, Robin had also gotten up and was holding his wife tightly in his arms. Lucina held a confused expression, as she had no idea what was going on.

"Uhh….." was all she could muster.

"We missed you so much Mother! Please don't ever leave us again!" Morgan cried out with a beaming smile, her blue hair in a mess from lying in bed.

"Morgan….I was gone for three days. On a camping trip. With your grandmother Sumia and aunt Lissa. That you knew about. a week before." Lucina said, slightly annoyed.

"Well…yea….but we still missed you, dear. Who knows what we would do without you?" Robin asked with a smile, scratching the back of his head. Lucina let out a sigh.

"Fine…you two are hopeless. Oh well...at least I know you won't disappear again anytime soon" Lucina smiled at her husband. She walked over to the bed and laid down with a relieved grunt. Morgan and Robin curled up next to her on either side, perfectly happy now that their missing piece of their lives was back. Lucina couldn't help but smile at how peaceful the two looked, and found she was surprisingly tired from the return trip. She allowed her eyes to close, and slowly drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Robin looked over at his wife, who had a small smile on her face. The sunshine was causing her sapphire eyes to sparkle, the breeze causing her blue hair to rustle behind her. Truly, this was bliss. They overlooked all of Ylisstol from their seat at the top of the castle. The seat had been put in after Ylisstol was invaded by Plegia for caution as a sniper nest, but since the battle with Grima it had remained empty. It allowed for each area of Ylisstol to be seen at all times, as it sat high above the rest of the capitol. Robin put his arm around Lucina and brought her in close, her head leaning on his chest. It was spring in the city. The fresh blossoms were evident on the trees and in the gardens all over. A mix of yellows, greens, reds and whites spread themselves in front of Robin and Lucina like a fresh painting. The warm air of the afternoon mixed with the breeze allowed for them to spend the entire day up in the lookout spot without being too hot or too cold. Robin smiled as he knew life didn't get better than this. The world was silent except for their heartbeats and breathing. At least until his wife spoke in a soft, fluttering voice. A sound that was even better than the peaceful silence to Robin.

"We should take a cruise to Valm soon. Maybe see Tiki, Say'ri and Virion"

"Hmm, I don't know. I remember the past two cruises I never exactly got my sea legs" Robin grimaced at the feeling of helplessness he had while being sea sick.

"Really? I remember you quite enjoyed those two trips" Lucina gave a knowing grin and a wink.

"Well…" Robin began to flush, "I remember enjoying the trip home, but I'm pretty sure I tried to jump overboard during the trip to Valm…."

"Oh, I think it was actually me that almost threw you into the ocean" Lucina smiled at her husband, a warm smile that was slightly seductive. "You never did let me have a viewing myself that trip."

"Yea I'm still really sorry about all of that." Robin let out a long sigh. "How did we ever end up together after that? I thought you might never talk to me again" He laughed slightly.

Lucina leaned heavily onto Robin's arm, wrapping her arms around him. "We were pretty clueless. Lucky for you, I never went to Chrom about it. It sure would have been a shame for the master tactician to have been pronounced dead of decapitation at sea" She continued to hold that devious smile, only embarrassing Robin further. He grimaced as he thought back to that day, a day he learned two things; Lucina was more beautiful than he could ever imagine, and he should always knock.

* * *

The Shepherds left for Valm dispersed in three warships among the fleet that Plegia donated. One boat held the guys, one the girls, and one the leaders of the army. The ones on the leader's ship included Chrom, Sumia, Lucina, Robin, Flavia and Basilio. Lissa and Lon'qu also stayed on board, as Lissa was a medic that should be there just in case, and Lon'qu was her fiancé, having proposed right before everybody had left for Port Ferox. The reason for this was to mostly allow for every Shepherd to have their own room aboard the ship, as Chrom cared deeply for each member and wanted them all to be able to relax before a war that was likely to take some of their lives. There was always tension due to this fact, but the Shepherds were not ones to be kept down by an approaching battle. At least one of the ships had a training exercise going on above deck at all hours of the day. Robin would smile gleefully as he stared at the men's ship over the railing, during the times he wasn't heaving up the little food he ate, thankful that he didn't have to participate in Frederick's training, which involved the back and forth tossing of barrels filled with sea water, all while running in circles atop the deck. On occasion, there would be competitions between the men and the women, such as the two ships sending out rescue boats consisting of three guys or girls, depending on the ship, and rowing to the opposite ship and back, seeing who could make it first. The winner tended to be whichever team had a mage in the current competition, as the ability to but wind into sails made movement on the sea drastically easier.

Robin awoke on their tenth day of the voyage early, right as the sun had begun lifting upon the horizon. He left his room, putting his coat on over his bare skin to avoid the morning chill. Above deck, he saw no signs of any other Shepherds. This brought a smile to him, as it meant that everybody was sleeping and thus nobody was stressing out about the battle. While some leaders might prefer an army to stay serious at all times, Robin and Chrom wanted the Shepherds to enjoy themselves, as they knew that it was entirely possible that one if their friends could fall in the coming battles. Robin began to return below deck and was on his way back to his room when he heard footsteps coming from around the hallway. He peaked around the corner to see light coming from the small opening of Lucina's door, and heard light humming of a tune he was unfamiliar with.

"_I guess the young one woke up. Well, I don't think I will be able to get back to sleep anytime soon. Might as well see what she is up to" _Robin thought to himself as he approached the slightly ajar door.

It must have been that Robin was more tired than he thought. Otherwise, he would have known better than to do what his next action was. Robin absent mindedly opened Lucina's door and took a step in, opening his mouth to offer some witty quip about the princess not getting enough sleep, only to find that no words came to him, and in their place a heavy blush covered his entire face. There, in front of him, was the girl that he found he could not control his words around. The girl he found himself attracted to and often thought of her before he fell asleep. The girl that was his best friend's daughter. And the girl that had apparently just left the bath and had left her towel draped over the chair behind her. And all Robin was left to look at was her bare back, as she was facing away from the door. Lucina did not hear the door open, but her happy thoughts about being back together with her family and being so close to the man she found gave her butterflies soon were replaced by the feeling that there was another presence in her room. She slightly turned to find the same man she was thinking of in her doorway, red faced with his jaw unhinged, staring at her backside. If she was not so struck in embarrassment, she would have screamed at the intruder. Robin quickly regained his thoughts as he saw Lucina turning red, both from embarrassment and from anger.

"Uh…uh….sorry Lucina….I…I should have…knocked…" Robin stammered as he quickly backed out of the room, his hands held up in a defensive position, his eyes fixated on his feet. Lucina quickly grabbed her towel and covered herself, then peaked out of her room at the retreating tactician.

"Robin! You better be ready for a serious beating in training today! I can't believe you are such a perv! Who walks into a room without knocking! You are lucky I don't tell father!" Lucina angrily yelled as Robin disappeared around the corner. All she heard back was him yelling "I'm so sorry Lucina! I promise it won't happen again!"

Lucina slammed her door shut, then sunk into the chair where her towel previously was. She found conflicting feelings in her head. On one hand, Robin had broken her privacy and seen something a man should never see in that circumstance. She could not believe she had feelings to somebody that would barge in on a naked lady and just stare, not averting his eyes or saying anything. However, on the other hand, she couldn't help but notice his attraction to her. And while, yes, he had proven less than absolutely moral, she still found herself wanting to be with him. She felt a certain pride when realizing that she had caused the man that always knew what to say to be struck lost for words. While the situation wasn't desirable, she still felt a small bit of hope building in her chest that maybe Robin too felt the way that she did. This did not change the fact that she was going to beat the shit out of him in training today in return for his stolen peeks, however.

Robin clutched onto the railings of the ship, glancing out to the male's ship about half a mile away. He could just make out Frederick leading some sort of warm up exercise. The tactician's gaze fell upon the water below him. He was attempting to calculate the probability of surviving a swim to the other boat in his armor. He had come to the conclusion that the odds were poor. However, he was not sure that they could possibly be worse than his chances of survival when Chrom hears about the incident that just unfolded. This fear of what was to come was taking up most of his thoughts, causing him to sweat profusely and his sea sickness to intensify tenfold. The other small section of his thoughts was the scene he had just witnessed. He had always known Lucina was beautiful, with her perfect face, her warm smile, her calming eyes, and her hair that seemed to always fall perfectly in place. But Robin had never noticed the other areas of her body except for a few small details noted in his head, due to her conservative armor. And now he had seen her stripped of that armor, and saw what he believed to be the body of a goddess beneath. Her body was toned and in shape, and she seemed to emit a glow that stirred his feelings. What she lacked for in some areas were made up for in others, in regards to her feminine figure.

"Hey Robin! What are you doing up this early?"

Robin's thoughts were interrupted by the voice of the one he feared the most in this moment. His gaze lifted up to see the blue haired prince walking towards him. His tone revealed that he had no knowledge of what transpired, as it was still his cheerful voice and not the voice of Grima himself trying to rip Robin limb from limb. The tactician glanced back and forth between the prince and the ocean, weighing the odds. Finally, he knew what must be done.

* * *

"Haha, I'm surprised Chrom didn't catch on to what happened when you tried to jump ship" Robin's wife laughed as they had finished recalling the memory.

"I'm surprised he was fast enough to grab me before I had completely gone over" Robin replied. In that moment, Robin had tried to go over the ship but Chrom had quickly grabbed his wrist and pulled him back onto the ship, making it clear in Robin's mind that he couldn't escape his fate.

"What did you tell him when he asked about you jumping?"

"I….told him I thought I saw somebody drowning…." The tactician stared at his feet, embarrassed by the obvious lie he had told Chrom. "And somehow, someway, Chrom believed me and sent me to Lissa to get my head examined, which of course I came out with Lissa saying there was nothing wrong with me"

Lucina looked up to her husband and kissed his cheek, causing both of them to smile and stare into each other's eyes. "It is quite funny how different the trip there was compared to the trip back."

Robin looked up to the sky, remembering the trip home. Robin and Lucina's relationship had been made official at this point, and the two were to be married promptly upon returning to Ylisstol. Robin had survived a near death experience when Chrom had physically discovered Robin and Lucina's relationship, an experience that still scared Robin to this day. During the trip home, it took much convincing by Lissa and Sumia to allow Lucina and Robin to not only stay on the same ship, but have rooms next door to each other. Chrom would still randomly drop by their rooms each day of the trip, but when the two were sure they would not be interrupted, they would fill the bathtub that was located between the rooms and soak in it together, taking in the feel of their skin, the warmth given off by them, the smell of each other and the pleasant scent of the soaps they had gotten in Valm. Each day, they would wake up long before dawn and sneak off to one of their individual rooms and share a bed for an hour, enjoying the company and fulfilling all of their more physical needs. The whole trip was shrouded in happiness and a sense of rebellion, as they were careful to never let Chrom know what was happening, but the couple had their suspicions that Sumia and Lissa knew what was going on, based on the occasional winks the two sent their way.

"Okay Lucina, I'll bite. Let's go visit Valm" That earned him a tight embrace and a huge smile from his blushing bride. "I'm sure Sumia and Chrom will be happy to watch Morgan, and since there is no war going on, I will just take two weeks off and we can spend some time together, just us" Robin returned Lucina's embrace and buried his nose in her hair, smelling the daisies she had cleverly placed in her thick, flowing hair. The flowers matched the brilliant white dress that she was wearing, a dress that she had found after the war and the dress that Robin enjoyed seeing her in the most.

"Thank you Robin! I promise you, this trip won't be one to forget" She gave Robin a mischievous smile and a seductive wink.

"Well, we better get packing if that is the case" The married couple laughed and began to descend back down into the castle to tell Chrom, Sumia and Morgan about their trip and expedite their travels.

* * *

"It's as beautiful as I remember" Lucina smiled as she stared out into the ocean, Robin's arms wrapped around her waist as he held her from behind. The two were staring over the mast of the cruise ship that they had found for their trip to Valm. The sun was setting on the horizon, painting the ocean a mixture of reds, yellows, oranges and purples. Lucina was once again in her white dress, while her husband had opted for a nice blue shirt and tan pants for their day at sea.

"Although, still not as beautiful as a certain princess I know" Robin leaned down and kissed his wife, who tilted her head all the back so she could look at him.

"I never knew you held such high regards for Lucy"

"I am known to like them young" Robin retorted his wife's joke, which earned him a small elbow to the side and caused the two to burst out laughing.

"I think it's just about time for dinner, my love" Robin took Lucina's hand and led her to a table overlooking the ocean. He pulled her chair out for her, then pushed it towards the table once she sat down. He sat down across from her and folded his napkin into his lap, then reached under the table and wrapped his legs around Lucina's, making sure that were physically connected at all times. Ever since he had returned to the land of the living, he never wanted leave an opportunity where he could feel his wife's natural warmth behind.

"So, master tactician, please tell me what you are planning for this lovely outing? Some wine? Maybe some reenactments of my mother's romance novels? Or perhaps you wish to walk in on a young princess changing again?" Lucina winked at her husband, who she had managed to turn a light shade of red.

"N-no, I think we shall just leave the plans behind, although those all sound quite nice. I think I have learned that any time spent with you is enough. So, if any of those happen, I certainly wouldn't mind, but I will be happy with whatever happens, so long as I'm sharing the time with you" Robin smiled at his wife, who now seemed to have a tear in her eye.

"Well, well, mister suave, I must say you have certainly changed from the man that tried to plan for every scenario on a date. And I must say, I like this. You seem…less stressed. I can't tell you enough how happy I am that you have finally come back to us. Now, I say after dinner we head down to the room for a little….bonding time" Lucina had a small blush as she tried to be discreet about her intentions, but Robin had already picked up on it. The tactician smiled and returned Lucina's blush, then stared intensely into her eyes, as if he was thinking something serious over. He glanced around him, then returned his gaze to Lucina, this time with a look that seemed to say he made up his mind

"Why wait?" Robin exclaimed, as he stood up, picked Lucina up out of her chair, and carried them down to their room, earning a kiss on the check from his blushing bride in the process.

* * *

Robin groaned as he saw the stack of paperwork on his desk. He and Lucina had returned from their two week vacation, during which they had found the old connection between them was still alive and strong, despite the three year absence. It was as if Robin was never gone, and the two had never been happier. After the trip, Lucina had just seemed to glow whenever Robin saw her, and he smiled whenever she was present. However, the two week absence had left him with plenty of paperwork regarding what to do with the army, such as relocating troops, assigning financial aid, and promoting soldiers to advanced squadrons. This all involved performance reports, intel gathered on the surrounding continents, and stacks upon stacks of accounting information. As he grumbled about all of this work, he heard a knock at the door. Lucina stepped in, having a huge smile plastered on her face and the glow he had been thinking of radiating off of her.

"Robin…." Lucina whispered with a hint of excitement, "I'm pregnant!"

* * *

**A/N: Phew, how about that for a little announcement to end the chapter? I'm sure you see where this is going. Just to let you know, my publishing schedule for this weekend will be like this-this chapter was just released, the following chapter (which is the infamous Chrom story) will likely be released late tonight (April 18th) or sometime Sunday (April 19th) There will then be a special chapter on April 20th for Lucina's birthday, but it will probably be a shorter chapter. Sorry that this chapter jumped around so much, there was a lot I wanted to get through as preparation for the coming chapter, but none of which I felt I needed to go too in depth on. I am trying to incorporate the requests of the last two reviews (Which thank you very much for leaving those) by having a date with Robin and Lucina and then having the reveal of current timeline Morgan to Chrom. I hope this chapter went well, let me know if you think there are improvements I could make. Oh and that bit at the very beginning was an idea I had that would have lasted an entire chapter as a way to mess with the reader, but I kind of got bored of it, but still wanted it in the story to show the love of the family.  
**

**Also, shout out to ButWaitTheresMore for giving this story a follow. **_**Reunion**_** is one of the stories I am really excited about following. And another shout out to gokart48, master writer of _Bed Time Story_, who has given feedback on some aspects of this story, with which hopefully I can fill some plot holes later on. Until next time,  
**

**-Austin**


	8. Chrom

**Chapter 8: Chrom  
**

Robin ran over to his wife and embraced her tightly, both of them shedding tears of joy. "This is fantastic! Morgan is going to be so excited! Lucina I am so glad that we are spending our lives together. Raising Morgan has been great, but I cannot wait to hold our bundle of joy in my arms as an infant. Truly, there has never been a happier day!" Robin kissed his wife again.

"I know Robin, I feel the same. I am so excited to hold baby Morgan, just hopefully she doesn't have as much energy as our current Morgan" They both laughed. "I need to hurry and tell Father and Mother, please Robin, come with me!" His wife turned to tug him out of the room, but was met with resistance. She turned to find her husband had gone pale.

"Robin? Are you ok? It's not the headaches again is it? I'll run and get Aunt Lissa!" Lucina's worry in her voice was escalating, but she was relieved when her husband finally responded.

"No, no it's not that. It's just…..I realized I have to tell Chrom that….I got his daughter pregnant…I'm sorry dear. I think I need to have a drink before we tell them. Can I meet up with you in an hour and then we can tell them?" Robin pleaded his wife. Chrom had not taken the news of being a grandparent well the first time, and that was without ever physically seeing his daughter carrying a child.

"Ok dear, just please don't abandon me here to tell him all alone" Lucina let out a sigh. "After all, you ae the one that will have to take all the blame" She finished with a wink at her husband.

"Yeah, don't remind me" Robin grimaced. "Though, if I make it through all this, it will be worth it knowing I can to spend eternity with my three favorite girls" Robin pulled Lucina into a tight embrace and smiled. "Speaking of which, where is Morgan?"

"She is out in the garden with Mother, she mentioned something about picking flowers and spending the day out shopping"

"Morgan? Shopping? Ha, that is even more shocking than the thought of you shopping with Sumia. Oh well, it's good that she is living a normal life after everything we have been through. I'm just glad that the most of our worries nowadays is your father trying to strangle me" Robin gave a sad grin to his wife, who seemed to melt into his arms.

"Hopefully that is how things stay. Robin, please don't die on me today"

"I won't dear, I promise"

The two shared a knowing look, and couldn't help but laugh at the ridiculous fear they held about telling Chrom. They knew he would never _actually_ hurt them, but he was still unreasonable when angry. Robin let out a sigh.

"Right. I'll be back in an hour and we can tell Chrom them. Then we can meet up with Morgan and Sumia when they get back from shopping. Just know I couldn't be happier right now. I will always love you, dear. And I can't wait to welcome our child into the world. Although, until then, know I will always be here to take care of you when you need"

"Thank you Robin. I promise I'll try not to be….too unreasonable during the next couple months. Though I may need your help from time to time." Lucina smiled as she looked at her stomach, which she knew would grow in the coming time, though she had no problem with this. She had saved the future partially so she could start a family with Robin. "But try not to be too rough on us when we have some alone time" She winked to Robin, who then had a small blush but laughed.

"I promise I'll be gentle on my little princess" And with that, Robin left his office. He had heard that Vaike and Virion happened to be in town and figured he could find them in the dining hall. They were just the duo Robin needed the most right now. He quickly walked down the castle staircases, knowing he did not have much time. He swung open the doors to the dining hall to find, as he expected, Virion and Vaike sharing a meal together. He walked over and swung himself into a seat next to them.

"Heyo, look who it is, the man back from the dead. You knew better than to skip ole Teach's class, didn't ya?" Vaike asked with a grin while giving Robin a hearty slap to the back.

"Yes I must say, your reappearance was most pleasant. Although, it may not have been as pleasant as seeing your daughter sweep you off your feet" Virion chuckled to himself, with Vaike joining in the laughter.

"Yeah, yeah make fun of me, whatever. Look guys, I have a situation and desperately need your help. So right off the bat, Lucina is pregnant" The two men Robin was sitting next to flung their eyes open and opened their mouths to congratulate him, but he held a hand and interrupted them. "I know, it's amazing and I couldn't be happier, but in an hour Lucina and I are going to tell Chrom about it. And I know he is going to go into overprotective dad mode, which I don't really want to deal with. So I think that we need to get drunk within the next hour, just enough to wear the pain of Falchion's hilt might be dulled enough. I still would like to have my wits about me. And the moment is too happy to be drinking alone. Do you think you guys can handle this?" Robin didn't wait for a response as he waived the server girl to come towards them.

"Well, I imagine such a noble man like myself could handle this. Congratulations to you two, I'm sure the world will smile upon the delivery of such an amazing child. And do not be afraid, Rosanne will spare no expense in making sure that you have everything you need to care for your child. After all, we wouldn't want her to forget her Uncle Virion, would we?" Virion smiled at his friend who was about to become a father for the second time.

"Rosanne? I thought you weren't on speaking terms since you ditched out on them?" Vaike quipped at the expense of his friend. "You don't have to worry the child as long as Teach is here to show her the ways"

"I'll have you know that Rosanne simply had a….falling out with me. But the people love Olivia, and with accepting her they had to accept me back as well" Virion turned his attention back to Robin, who was now talking to the server.

"Can you bring us three glasses and the largest bottle of scotch please? Thank you." Robin looked back to Virion and Vaike. "I really hope this stuff helps. I don't know if I can outrun Chrom these days. My skills have gotten a little rusty in the past three years, seeing how my body wasn't exactly available to train in."

"Haha, oh what a day that was. I've got to say, even the Risen hadn't made Chrom run _that _fast before. What happened again? You were trying to get it on with the princess and he walked in? My memory is a little hazy, but I definitely remember running out with Gaius and Stahl after training, watching you two sprinting across the fields." Vaike smiled as Robin stared at his feet, embarrassed by the memory. The drinks were brought out to them and Robin poured them each the first drink of many. Seeing nothing better to do, and seeing as the story was appropriate seeing as he might just relive it, Robin let out a sigh and looked up from his glass.

"Well. It went a little something like this…." Robin downed his drink before delving into the story of Chrom finding out about Robin and Lucina's relationship.

* * *

Robin was out walking the campground around noon following a strategy meeting. Chrom had apparently left with Frederick to perform a scouting mission around the campsite, looking out for any ambushes. They had just finished their battle against Yen'fay in Valm and were careful not to be caught unaware as they made their way to Walhart's castle. A week had passed since Robin and Lucina had confessed their love to each other during one of Robin's nighttime walks. It was a cheerful event for the two, but they decided to keep their relationship a secret until the war was over. Until then, the two would meet in secret whenever they could. Robin smiled as he remembered the meeting the two had last night among the forest around the camp. As he was lost in thought, a hand reached out of one of the tents and pulled him inside. He was brought face to face with Lucina in her tent, her lips pressed quickly against his. As she released, she looked at him with a flushed face.

"I-I'm sorry. I couldn't wait for nightfall. I haven't been able to stop thinking about you. Even during the meeting, I just couldn't stop staring at you and wanting another moment alone. I was kind of scared my father might notice. Then again, I probably wouldn't mind. You are most definitely worth it." Lucina gave a seductive smile as she dragged him by the collar and threw him onto the floor before laying on top of him. Robin returned the smile.

"So what would have happened if you happened to pull someone else in?" Robin was always making a joke as his response to an intimate situation. Normally Lucina would blush and the joke would fly over her head, as she jumped into defensive mode. However, she didn't seem to let the joke bother her this time as she traced Robin's chest with her hands and kissed him, slipping his coat off of him. He grasped the back of her head and pulled her closer. The two were caught up in the moment as the feelings of their early love took over. They did not hear the footsteps approaching from outside the tent. Chrom had returned early from his scouting trip and was hoping to speak to his daughter about the next battle.

"Lucina, I forgot to mention that next battle I was hoping to pair up with-" Chrom stopped dead in the tent, seeing his daughter laying on top of his best friend, with said friend's coat lying on the ground a few feet away from them. Both of them had rustled hair and flushed faces. Lucina looked back and saw her father standing at the entrance of the tent and brought her hand to her mouth and rolled off Robin. Robin simply lifted his head and saw Chrom's rage growing as he unsheathed Falchion.

"Uh…Father! I was simply…." Lucina could not find any words that would convince her father that she and Robin were not doing anything together. She looked worryingly at Robin, noticing that Chrom seemed to only be staring at him.

"Well, you see Chrom I was just…..leaving!" Robin shouted as he crawled under the gap between the tent wall and the ground opposite of the entrance. Chrom quickly ran to the back of the tent and sliced open the canvas where Robin had escaped and sprinted after the tactician.

"You can't escape me, Robin!" the Exalt screamed

"C'mon Chrom! You don't really mean to do this! Why can't we just talk about this!?" Robin yelled back as he kept a steady lead from Chrom, keeping far away from Falchion. He felt the eyes of the entire camp watching the two run. He prayed to Naga that some form of help would interfere, but saw no signs of anybody rushing to his aid. He heard Chrom slowly gaining ground.

"Robin! You lost any right to that when you kissed my daughter! I trusted you as my best friend!" Chrom was sputtering in rage as he was almost within reach of Robin. All the men of the camp were now in a fit of laughter, now knowing what had happened. They all watched as Chrom leapt forward and tackled Robin, slamming him into the ground. Chrom then aimed his sword down at Robin's crotch.

"Well, well. Looks like its checkmate for the stealer of daughters" Chrom wore a sadistic grin while Robin flailed in panic.

"CHROM! DON'T DO THIS! YOU DON'T REALLY MEAN ANY OF THIS! PLEASE DON'T STAB ME THERE! YOU CAN DO ANYTHING ELSE JUST PLEASE NOT THAT!" Robin was screaming, fearful for his life. Behind the two, Lucina was catching up to the two. Of course, even in this moment, the smartass tactician could only think of jokes in his head about how in the last few minutes he had two blue haired members of royalty on top of him.

"Father! Get off Robin!" Lucina cried, scared Chrom might strike before she could get there.

"Stay out of this Lucina! I'm getting you justice for this traitor trying to steal you away!" Chrom replied.

"Father! He wasn't stealing me! I-I love him, Father! If….if you do anything to him, Mother and I will never forgive you!"

Chrom's face melted into confusion and what could be mistaken for pain as Lucina's words rang in his ears. "L-love?" Chrom relaxed his weight a little bit, but his sword did not budge. "That is a lie, Lucina! This traitor is only making you believe you love him!" He shifted his weight back to pin down his former best friend. Robin tried to wriggle free of Chrom.

"No….she speaks the truth Chrom. I really do have feelings for her. I tried to suppress them, but I guess the heart wants what it wants, right ole buddy?" Robin gave a nervous grin, hoping to play on Chrom and Sumia's relationship.

"Father! I know Robin loves me! He has made it very clear! And whenever I am with him, I truly feel happy! And I feel like a real woman!" Lucina added, but this only seemed to make Chrom grimace.

"I REALLY don't want to hear the rest of that, Lucina. But….if you both are saying its true…." Chrom slowly stood up, but refused to move away from Robin, who was sprawled on the ground. He did, however, move Falchion so it was now just pointing to the ground next to Robin. This caused Robin to give a great sigh.

"Phew! Thank you Chrom, I knew we could talk this-AUUGH!" Robin clutched his face in pain. Chrom had struck him with Falchion's hilt with significant force. The tactician's nose was probably broken and he could already feel his cheek swelling. He clutched his face as Lucina tackled her father, furious at what he just did.

"Father! Why did you do that?" Lucina held a death stare for a few seconds at her father, who was smiling comfortably at his revenge for Robin stealing a kiss from his daughter. Lucina then turned and rushed over to Robin, worried for his health.

"R-Robin? Are you ok? Here let me see it" Lucina was trying to help the poor man who was clenching his teeth in pain. He waved a hand at her, trying to dismiss his concern, but only managed to amplify it as she saw the hand covered in blood.

"Aunt Lissa!" Lucina screamed for her aunt, who was running towards them, medical staff in hand. Lissa reached them and immediately went to work on Robin's face, managing to stop the bleeding but was unable to fix his now crooked nose with her staff.

"Robin, hold still. This is….going to hurt" Lissa said calmly to the man who had stopped squirming, his pain relieved by her healing. She grasped Robin's nose and in one movement snapped it back into place. The tactician screamed in pain, clutching at his face before Lissa healed him again to stop the pain. Lucina held Robin tight against her, as her father began to regain his rational thought. The rest of the Shepherds were laughing at the entire affair, not wanting to get in between Robin and Chrom in this situation.

* * *

Robin finished the story, along with his fourth shot, with a grimace. It had taken a week for all the swelling in his face to disappear. Luckily, apparently that night Sumia had beaten some sense into her husband, and Chrom apologized to him the next day. Lucina continued to avoid talking to her father for another week, and never left Robin's side until he had completely healed, to make sure he was okay and to spend more time with him. Chrom eventually came to welcome their relationship, likely after much talking with Sumia. It was not easy for him to see the daughter he just found as a full grown woman. Eventually though, things got back to normal and were even better than before. The couple no longer had to meet in secret. They could embrace and flirt with each other anywhere in camp, without worrying about being found out. Their love and relationship grew drastically. Occasionally they spent the night together, although they were still careful so Chrom would never walk in on them again. Those nights were Robin's favorite, as they both could sleep without nightmares, concentrating only on the heartbeats and breathing that seemed to envelope them and made them forget the war that was going on around them. He smiled as the memory popped into his mind.

"Ahaha! I forgot how funny that story was! Even ole Teach couldn't get Chrom that riled up!" Vaike was stuttering over his words as the alcohol kicked in. Robin saw that the bottle was almost gone and felt a warmth inside him. Knowing he achieved what he came from, he shakily stood up and bid farewell to his two friends. They wished him luck and went back to finishing the bottle in front of them. Robin smiled as he saw Lucina waiting for him in the foyer outside the dining hall. She scrunched her nose as he approached, smelling the alcohol on his breath. He smiled and gave her a deep kiss, catching her by surprise, but she didn't avoid it.

"I take it you are ready to talk to Chrom?" Lucina laughed as she pulled away from Robin.

"A-as ready as I'll ever be, my princess" Robin said with a grin, his legs shaking from the drunkenness coursing through his body. "We better do it before I regain feeling. Don't want to feel the reintroduction of Falchion to my face." Lucina moved to wrap an arm around her husband, both to comfort him and to help him walk.

"I'm sure we will be fine, dear. After all, you have me here" She gave a smile as she felt her husband relax slightly. "It is funny how we keep ending up in this situation though. Hopefully it might just go better than last time."

They both thought back to when they had found Morgan in the Ruins of Time. They laughed, and looked to each other, absorbed in the other's smile.

"Well. At least he won't be _completely_ surprised, and there will be nobody calling him grandpa this time. Maybe we might just make it through this." Robin said as he held onto Lucina. The two laughed again, and walked towards Chrom's office, smiling as they found new strength in each other and the memory of Chrom's reaction to first finding Morgan.

* * *

"I think this is the place" Robin looked up from a map at the ruins that lay before the Shepherds.

"Are you sure the Tear is here?" Chrom asked, unsure of the sight before him. The Ruins of Time was an area that seemed to lack much appeal. It was a dull grey collection of blocks that seemed to form a maze. There also appeared to be a group of Risen currently occupying the ruins.

"Yeah, if the intel is correct. It should be located near the back of the ruins."

Chrom let out a sigh and looked out among the group of Shepherds Robin had chosen for the mission. Among them were Lucina and Sumia, completing the two power couples of the group. Also among them were Severa and Owain, Lucina's friends that had been found during the war in Valm. Cordelia, Frederick, Lissa and Lon'qu were all getting over the fact that they were parents, and there seemed to be a new morale to their small army. "Very well. Let's get this done with. Be quick and careful."

The tactician nodded, then grouped together with Lucina and the two took off running into the group of Risen on the left side of the Ruins. Chrom took Sumia and headed to the opposite side, with the rest of the Shepherds headed up the center, ready to take on whatever leftover Risen were pushed out of the sides by the two couples. Lucina rushed on ahead, fighting fiercely with Falchion, taking down Risen left and right. Behind her, Robin let out blasts of arcthunder to strike down Risen far ahead of them, as well as using a basic wind spell to push Lucina away from danger whenever she did not notice a threat. The two acted in perfect harmony, as a result of their time together and their bond. As Lucina took down another Risen soldier, she noticed the flapping of a coat as it disappeared around a corner.

"_No…..it couldn't be…" _Lucina thought to herself as she turned to make sure Robin was still behind her, however by confirming this, she was only made more confused. "_He's there still….but that coat….it was definitely his…_" Even the passing glance was enough for Lucina to recognize Robin's Grimleal coat. It was special, with certain cuts in the tail from battle, all of which she had seen.

"I'm going on ahead! I think I saw somebody!" Lucina yelled back to her husband as she rushed to catch up to the figure. She rounded the corner to find a group of Risen be wiped out by a bright lightning bolt. All of which was cast from the hooded figure in Robin's coat. "_But Robin isn't that short…"_ Lucina thought to herself.

"Hey! Who are you?" Lucina shouted to the figure. The hooded person turned and took a step to run, but seeing Lucina seemed to freeze them in their tracks. Suddenly the person relaxed and dropped the elthunder tome to the ground and began running towards Lucina. Lucina took up a defensive stance, which was broken only by the figure's hood falling down and a certain word piercing the air.

"MOTHER!" The blue haired girl in Robin's coat yelled at Lucina, a smile and tears forming upon her face. Lucina had never been more confused. She recognized the word, but her mind could not process it. There was no way she could be a mother. Sure, she was engaged to Robin, but she was certain that between now and their first moment of intimacy she had not gotten pregnant, much less given birth. And she was certain that she could never have given birth to what seemed to be a teenager. But she also didn't have a daughter in the future, at least not yet. So how was it possible that she could have a teenage daughter? All of these thoughts were interrupted by her being fiercely tackled to the ground by the blue haired girl (which, looking back, Lucina realized Morgan was certainly fond of tackling her loved ones).

"Mother! I have missed you so much! When I woke up here, I couldn't find you or Father anywhere! I was so scared you guys had left me! But now you're here and everything is ok again! Speaking of which, where is Father? I'm sure he must be cold without his coat!" The girl was talking quickly, seeming to forget the battle that just occurred as tears began welling in her eyes, obviously ecstatic to find who she said was her mother. Lucina's eyes began to widen as she realized what the girl was saying.

"You're…Robin and I's…..daughter?" She managed to stutter out. The girl gave a confused look back to Lucina.

"Yes? Don't you remember me, Mother? It's me, Morgan! I know my memory is a little fuzzy so maybe yours is too, but you have to at least remember me!" Morgan starting getting a distressed look in her eyes, however this was quickly replaced by a smile as she saw her father rounding the corner to find the spectacle laying on the ground before him.

"Father!" Morgan jumped off Lucina and ran at Robin. All Lucina heard was Robin muttering "Huh?" before suffering the same tackled fate as she did. When she rolled over to look at the two, she saw Morgan happily holding onto Robin as they laid on the ground. Robin slowly got up, his apparent daughter clutching his waist, staring at Lucina for an answer with the most confused look she had ever seen. Lucina smiled and shrugged, slowly coming to terms that the most beautiful girl in the world was their daughter. She slowly drank in the sight of the girl's soft face, blue hair and deep brown eyes. She also noticed the mark of the Exalt on Morgan's left hand. The mark and the coat were all Lucina needed to believe the girl.

"She must have come from the future as well. Though I don't know why she would….unless…me coming back didn't change anything…" Lucina was suddenly struck with fear, thinking her efforts couldn't change fate. After all, if she did change things, why would this girl come back in time? These thoughts quickly stopped when her fiancé pulled her into a hug, with Morgan then wrapping her arms around both of them.

"It's okay Lucina. I promise, we will make sure none of this happens again." Robin comforted his beloved.

"Yea, Mother! Why are you sad! Aren't you glad to see me?" Morgan chipped in, the giant smile she had from being reunited with her family never leaving her face. Lucina squatted down slightly to be at eye level with the brown eyed girl.

"Of course I am happy to see you, Morgan. I have never seen a more beautiful sight" Lucina said with a smile. Morgan blushed and quickly wrapped her mother in a tight hug. The family shared a happy moment, until they heard Chrom calling for them from across the ruins. Robin's eyes quickly snapped open as he glanced back at the prince, who was now waving at them.

"Shit…..not again…." Robin muttered to himself. As he tried to think of a way to easily break the news to the quickly approaching Exalt, the silence was once again broken by Morgan yelling a single word that seemed to freeze everybody except the energetic young girl.

"Grandpa!"

Morgan ran to Chrom, who was now frozen. There was silence except for the girl's footsteps. In the background, Virion, Vaike, Gaius and Lon'qu were all struggling to contain their laughter. Once again, they would get to see the wrath of Chrom be unleashed upon a defenseless Robin.

"Grand…..pa….?" Chrom muttered to himself as he stared at the girl running towards him. He didn't want to believe it, but the brown eyes and blue hair were unmistakable. Chrom held his ground as the girl dove to hug him, making sure he didn't fall. Instinctively he returned the girl's hug, but his gaze fell only upon Robin, who was holding his hands up in a defensive position and had an embarrassed grin on his face. Morgan quickly turned towards Sumia, letting go of Chrom and yelling for her grandmother. Sumia was a lot less fazed and held a smile as she welcomed the girl's hug, happy that she had grandchildren. She was much more accepting of Robin and Lucina's relationship, and could easily see how beautiful and perfect her teenage granddaughter was.

Chrom began unsheathing Falchion again, staring intently at Robin. "Robin…..once again you betray my trust and _defile_ my daughter….prepare to meet your end."

"Oh Naga not again" Robin said in a voice both fearful and annoyed. Lucina stepped in front of him, drawing her own Falchion.

"No Father! You will not hurt Robin again!" Lucina yelled at her father, who was approaching them.

"Don't believe what that scoundrel tells you Lucina! Obviously he only wants you for one purpose! He saw your beauty and our happiness and wants to steal you away from me!" The Exalt sputtered.

"Father, we have been over this! Robin and I are in love! You already told us you accepted this!"

"But I did not say I accepted being a grandfather already! You should not be having a child for at least another ten years!"

"Father you are being ridiculous! I am a grown woman and Robin and I can do whatever we-"

"Lucina, I get you are trying to help, but bringing up those actions will probably only make him angrier" Robin whispered to his wife.

"Oh…sorry about that….but nevertheless! You will not touch Robin, Father!" Lucina held her ground and made sure to stay between Robin and Chrom as the Exalt tried to find a way to Robin.

"Grandmother, why is grandpa acting so crazy?" Morgan smiled up at Sumia, who then let out a sigh.

"Because your….grandfather….gets a little crazy over your mother" Sumia smiled, then nodded at Lissa, signaling her to be ready to heal whatever fate her poor future son-in-law was about to suffer.

Chrom quickly sidestepped Lucina and jumped over her, landing on top of Robin before she could do anything to stop him. Robin quickly covered his face as he expected a repeat of last time. He heard Morgan yelling "grandfather" at Chrom, which only seemed to make the prince angrier. Chrom began to bring down Falchion's hilt at Robin.

"Oh please gods no not again-AAUUGGH!"

* * *

"I was lucky I didn't get another broken nose" Robin sighed as the two finished reminiscing.

"Yes, you were quite fortunate that he only aimed at knocking out your breath" Lucina nudged her slightly drunk husband.

"Still, I am just hoping this time I walk away with no pain at all" the tactician mumbled as they reached Chrom's office. The two knocked and were invited in. The couple took a deep breath and opened the door, ready for anything as long as they faced it together.

* * *

**A/N: Finally! This was by far the longest chapter I have written. Originally I was going to split the Chrom and Morgan stories, but ultimately decided to release them together. Thank you for the repeated asking for the Chrom story, both of him finding out about the couple and him finding out about Morgan. I am hoping this chapter was satisfactory to all of you reviewers! Thank you again for the support of this story! It makes me want to keep on writing each time I read a review, which I think is evident by the chapters starting to grow in length! The next chapter will be about Lucina's birthday (and will not be in continuity with the current arc, it will be its own standalone chapter) and after that we will get to see Chrom's reaction to Lucina's pregnancy! Anyways, please leave a review to let me know what I am doing right/wrong! Thank you for all the favorites, follows and views! Until next time!  
**

**-Austin**


	9. Lucina's Birthday Special

**Chapter 9: Lucina's Birthday Special**

* * *

**A/N: This chapter is NOT in continuity with the current arc. Think of it as a paralogue. If you want a placement in time, then this occurs before Robin and Lucina take their vacation.**

* * *

Lucina slowly regained consciousness from a pleasant dream she was having, involving a certain tactician and their daughter taking a hike through the woods around Ylisstol. She rolled over in the bed, keeping her eyes closed and having a faint smile on her face as she grasped for her husband. Her arms twirled with the sheets but were disappointed to find an absence on the other side of the bed. Lucina frowned as she opened her eyes, saddened that there was no Robin lying next to her, but rather an area of emptiness. If it had not been for the way the sheets were pulled back, giving a hint that somebody had gotten up from that side, Lucina would begin to worry that she had merely dreamed of Robin's return. There were certainly nights since his return nearly a week ago that she was afraid to fall asleep, believing her cruel fate would have Robin's return be a simple dream. Lucina slowly moved to remove the sheets, but heard voices coming from outside her bedroom door. She was wearing nothing but a lace royal blue nightgown with the symbol of the Exalt covering the back. She felt naked, not just due to its revealing nature, but because she had been so accustomed to wearing her armor, even with a three year absence from combat. The voices grew louder as Lucina clutched the sheets up to cover herself. Suddenly the door was thrown open and Morgan rushed to dive into her parent's bed.

"Mother!" The teenager cried as she worked her way under the sheets with Lucina, resting her head upon Lucina's chest.

"Well good morning Morgan" Lucina said with a smile. "Have you seen your father?" Lucina had to ask this question just to ensure that everything was truly not a dream.

"Yes, he is on his way up. He is a little slow though, but you'll understand soon" Morgan closed her eyes and began to rest on her mother, leaving Lucina with only a confused expression at the girl's words. Nevertheless, Lucina smiled at seeing her daughter regain her happiness after these long years, and proceeded to brush the tangles out of Morgan's hair with her fingers. The two princesses were in perfect bliss before there came a knock at the open door. Robin appeared in the doorway, smiling while holding a tray that contained a vase of daisies and a platter of breakfast. He laid the tray on Lucina's lap and leaned over the bed to give his wife a kiss on her forehead. Lucina smiled and looked down at what lay before her. There were two slightly burnt scrambled eggs, toast that seemed only slightly cooked, a glass of milk from the castle's livestock, and two sausages that actually seemed to be edible.

"Sorry that it didn't turn out absolutely perfect. I haven't cooked for quite some time" Robin smiled embarrassedly while scratching his head.

"Huh? You cooked? Why do that when you could have just had the chefs do it?" Lucina was puzzled. She understood that her husband was trying to make up for delaying his appearance to them, but it was unlike him to be spontaneous like this. And she also remembered he was terrible at cooking, as evident by them never having a picnic again after their first. Robin let out a laugh that sounded more pitiful than anything.

"Well, I wanted to start off your birthday in a special way, but it doesn't seem like I did a great job…" Robin let out a sigh. Lucina's eyes lit up as she realized what her husband had woken up early for.

"Oh, Robin! Really don't worry about this! I love it, I really do! I could never ask for anything more than just getting to spend time with you and Morgan, so anything on top of that is bonus! I'm sure this is absolutely delicious!" Lucina cut a small bit of the eggs and began chewing them. They weren't exactly pleasant, but Lucina put on a big smile like she had never had a better meal, hoping to get the pitiful look off Robin's face. It didn't seem to work very well until Morgan chipped in to help.

"See, Father! Mother loves the breakfast! I told you everything would be okay!"

With Morgan's reassurance, Robin's face began to shift into a genuine smile, and Lucina could see the pride in his eyes that he did not completely mess up. Seeing this only made Lucina happier, as she knew she could actually help to cheer her husband up, which was much different from when he would wake up in the middle of the night, panting as he recovered from a nightmare about Grima.

"Yes, my love. I'm sure I have never had a better breakfast in my life. Thank you so much" Lucina leaned over and gave her husband a kiss. Robin crawled into the bed and rested next to his wife. Lucina felt the warmth of both Morgan and Robin, and knew that this was the future she had truly wanted to save. She finished up her breakfast and her spouse and child left her to get dressed. She did not know what else lay ahead of her, with her only hint on there being more to come was Robin telling her to wear her blue dress as he closed their door. Lucina slipped out of her nightgown and put on the dress, which matched the color of her eyes. She went to their mirror and adjusted her hair so that it fell past both shoulders. She forewent her tiara in favor of placing one of the daisies Robin had brought her in her hair, slightly above her right ear. When she was confident in how she looked, she stepped out of the room to find Robin sitting in the hallway. His face began to beam as he slowly stood up.

"I….I am always impressed by your beauty. No matter how many times I see you, you never fail to take away my words" Robin said with a smile plastered from ear to ear. Lucina laughed at him and gave him a small pinch to the side.

"For somebody without words, you sure do seem to talk a lot" Lucina blushed slightly, even though she tried to maintain her joking manner. She was always a little embarrassed by Robin's compliments, as they made her stomach feel shaky.

"Haha, well if I didn't talk, how would you know where we are going?"

"Hmm….I suppose I can make an exception, just this once" Lucina mused at Robin.

"Very well, my dear. I believe Morgan is waiting for us out front."

The couple walked arm in arm down to the front of the castle to find Morgan talking to a stagecoach driver. She turned when she heard the doors open and ran over to greet her parents.

"Mother! You look absolutely amazing! Not that you don't always look amazing, it's just, uh, you seem so happy!" Morgan quickly tried to find a way out of unintentionally insulting her mother, but was relieved when Lucina simply smiled and rubbed the girl's hair.

"So you two, where are we heading?" Lucina asked, delighted to spend time with her family. The only answer she got was her husband and daughter both running their fingers across their lips, as if they were sealing them. Lucina took a second to get the message that they weren't going to tell her.

"Very well, let's get going then! I don't want to miss a minute with you two!" The family climbed into the back of the stagecoach and Robin leaned forward to whisper directions to the driver. The wagon lurched forward and they were on their way. The entire trip none of them said a word, but all instead leaned on each other, perfectly happy to be in each other's company.

The stagecoach stopped after about an hour of travelling. Robin stepped out of the carriage and held out a hand to help Lucina down. As Lucina's eyes adjusted to the light, she slowly started noticing where they were. They had traveled east of Ylisstol to where the ocean opened up to an endless body of water. Morgan happily ran towards the sandy beach, quickly outpacing her parents. Lucina opened her mouth to call out for the girl to stop, but Robin gave her hand a reassuring squeeze that made her lose her protective instinct. The couple stopped on a hill and Lucina rested her head on Robin's shoulder, smiling at the sight of the ocean.

"This is beautiful, Robin. You didn't have to bring me out here just for my birthday, but I really do appreciate it." Lucina stood on her toes to kiss her husband, who then returned her smile. He leaned down and whispered in her ear, "The day has not even begun". Lucina laughed, unsure if she should be excited or scared. The two began to walk to where Morgan had run to, slowly beginning to see a life sized sandcastle had already been made where the blue haired teenager stood.

"M…Morgan? How did you make this so fast?" Lucina asked, stunned at how her daughter could possibly make such a giant structure in a few minutes.

"Oh Mother, Father and I made this yesterday when we went 'hunting', it's all part of your birthday surprise!" Morgan replied, smiling at her and Robin's work.

"Yes, we knew how you wanted to live away from Ylisstol, but I know that is not exactly possible, seeing as I am the army's tactician. So we decided to live out here for a day. The castle already has a few rooms dug out and we can stay here until the moon begins to rise" Robin smiled as he embraced Lucina tightly. Lucina felt tears begin to form in her eyes.

"Robin….I have long moved past that little dream….once you left and Morgan took over as the tactician, as well as took on the task of managing your search parties, I decided the best place to wait for you was at Ylisstol. Although it meant I had to abandon my thoughts of leaving my father be, I knew that waiting for you was more important. And since I came to that decision, I know Ylisstol is my home, and I couldn't be happier being there with you two. But still, I can't believe you even remember I said that. It seems….so long ago…really Robin, this means so much to me" Lucina no longer could hold back her tears, as she let out some of the sorrow associated with her old belief that she would just abandon her family after the war. Looking at it now, she saw no way she could survive without seeing Robin and Morgan's smile every day for the rest of her life. They brought her true strength and happiness, and wherever they were, she wanted to be. Even if that meant she had to stay in Ylisstol due to Robin's occupation. Morgan ran in to join the embrace, beginning to cry as well.

"Please Mother, don't cry! Father just wanted to please you! He didn't know it would upset you!" Morgan misinterpreted her mother's tears as ones of sadness.

"No Morgan. I'm not sad, quite the opposite really. You two couldn't have made me happier" Lucina smiled as she bent down to kiss her daughter's forehead. "Now, what exactly are we going to do?" She asked cheerfully.

"Right, I was thinking we could relax for the day, catch our meal from the sea, create a fire and relax. Then there is an extra special surprise tonight before we leave." Robin responded to his wife. Lucina smiled and walked into the sandcastle, finding a seat on a mound of sand that was surprisingly soft. She suddenly bolted up, realizing she might be getting her dress dirty. Robin laughed as he watched the spectacle.

"Relax dear. I placed a spell on the sand so that it won't act any different than stone. No dirt will stick to you"

Lucina sighed, wondering how her husband could come up with every possible thing that could go wrong and fix it beforehand. It was his job for three years though, so it made sense that he spent so much time in preparation. Lucina looked out the window that was dug into the wall to see Robin casting a few fishing rods into the ocean before joining her in the castle. The line was long enough to where he could hold a rod while sitting within the castle with his wife. Morgan was rushing along the border of sand and grass, picking up stones and logs for their campfire. Lucina slowly closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep, comfortable as she rested on Robin's chest, his left arm wrapped around her shoulders.

Lucina was awoken by a sudden jerking motion next to her. She awoke in a frenzy but calmed as she saw it was just the Robin trying to reel in a fish. She laughed at the strain on his face, before noticing the sun was beginning to rest low on the horizon. She realized that Robin was so determined because he had not caught anything yet, and was desperate to get them a meal. She decided the best thing to do was to encourage her husband.

"You got it Robin! You can get that fish!" Lucina cheered, which earned a confused look from both her daughter and her husband. Realizing she was a bit random, she blushed and turned back to silence.

"Like Mother said! You can do it Dad!" Morgan cried from the other side of Robin. Lucina smiled at her daughter's awareness to her own feelings, and began to cheer for Robin again. After fifteen minutes of reeling, Robin brought up a medium sized grouper that he decided could feed all three of them. He set off to find a stone to gut the fish on, as Morgan squeezed next to her mother.

"I'm so glad you are enjoying your birthday, Mother. Father had been planning this since he got back, wanting everything to be special for you. He really does love you, and I don't think those three years changed him one bit" Morgan grinned up to her mother, causing Lucina to chuckle.

"I suppose he hasn't. But if that's the case, I wonder if we will survive his cooking" Lucina joked, earning a groan from her daughter. Since Robin had left three years ago, Lucina had gained a sense of humor from all her time spent with the Shepherds. She was rather proud of this, as now it was only occasionally that jokes went over her head. She had grown and matured in all this time, but being with Robin still made her feel like they were the young couple that would sneak off away from camp just to spend an hour holding hands. It sure was a lot less troublesome not having to sneak far away just to have a simple embrace now that they were married., she thought to herself.

Robin returned with the fish and lit the campfire that Morgan had assembled using an elfire tome. He skewered the fish on a branch and balanced it on two mounds of sand, which allowed for the fish fillet to hang over the fire, slowly cooking. The smell of dinner made Lucina and Morgan's mouths to water, hopeful it would be finished soon as they noticed the pain of empty stomachs. After about half an hour, Robin removed the fish from the fire, examined it, and seemed pleased with himself as he decided the fish was perfectly cooked. He dived the fish into thirds on three separate stone plates and handed them out. Lucina tried a bit of hers, cautious about Robin's cooking, but was pleasantly surprised as she found the fish was on par with the more eloquent meals in Ylisstol.

"Robin where did you learn how to cook like this?" She exclaimed. The tactician scratched his head, trying to find a way to explain.

"When we were in Valm, I occasionally caught a fish and cooked it. It was practice for if a moment to impress you like this came up. It took a long time and a lot of advice from Sumia, but eventually I got it down. Unfortunately, I never learned how to cook anything else, so my cooking still isn't great overall"

"Father if you just cook this, you would be an amazing cook! Who cares about anything else?"

"I agree with Morgan, this is absolutely delicious. Thank you so much, Robin" Lucina smiled as she saw her husband's face turn flushed from the compliments he was getting. The family finished their meal quickly and watched the fire, all huddling around each other until night fall. Robin then slowly stood up and lifted Morgan up. The two smiled at each other and looked down at Lucina.

"Alright dear, it's time for the grand finale. Ready, Morgan?"

"Of course Father!" The two tacticians pulled out strange blue tomes and pointed their hands to the sky. Suddenly, brilliant lights began erupting out about the ocean, taking on different shapes and colors. There were some explosions that formed a purple Pegasus, some that turned into a green Exalt crest, and other intricate ones that seemed to make up the shape of their happy family. Lucina watched all of this with amazement and a smile. The show went on for a little while, with it ending in a frenzy of colors and loud noises. Panting, the two tacticians returned to their seats next to Lucina.

"That was amazing! What kind of magic was that?"

"I'm not too sure. I picked up the tomes a long time ago in Plegia. I think the merchant said they were called firework tomes, or something along those lines" Robin panted and gave a tired smile to his wife. He glanced over to see Morgan had already fallen asleep from exhaustion, as the spells took a lot of energy to use in rapid succession like they had done.

"They were incredible Robin. Thank you so much for today" Lucina gave Robin a look that let him know all his efforts were worth it. As the two held each other and stared at the moon's reflection upon the ocean's surface, the stage coach returned behind them. Robin and Lucina picked up Morgan and put her in the back, and Robin kicked some dirt onto the remaining burning embers of the fire to put it out. He lifted Lucina into the back of the wagon and joined them. The two quickly fell asleep on the ride back.

* * *

Lucina dried herself off after a long hot bath with Robin. The two had enjoyed each other's company as one last birthday event, letting both of their aches from travel be washed away. Robin collapsed onto the bed, exhausted from his efforts during the day. Despite all the tedious work, seeing Lucina smile as she did throughout the day told him that it was all worth it. His wife soon entered, wearing her blue nightgown once again, delicately crawling into their bed and putting her head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat as she held onto the arm that she was not on top of. After a minute of silence, she tilted her head and looked into Robin's eyes.

"Thank you so much for today. You have no idea what it means to me to be able to spend time with you and Morgan. I love you so much, Robin" Lucina smiled and slowly started to drift off to sleep.

"I love you too dear. I promise, you will never have to worry about spending time with Morgan and I again. Happy birthday, Lucina." Robin felt a tired smile form on the face of his wife. He turned and blew out the candle on their nightstand, finally falling asleep after such an eventful day, perfectly happy as he felt his wife's head on his chest and her breathing at his side.

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**A/N: Here's that promised birthday chapter! Make sure to turn on your FE:A games today and collect those sweet rewards. As I said earlier, this chapter is a bit shorter, due to it not exactly being in an arc and simply being its own one shot story. In other "The Return to Life" news, I have decided that this story will last ****at least**** 20 chapters. I am finishing the arc involving Chrom's reactions, and will then begin the arc revolving around Lucina's pregnancy. At some point I will also do an arc about Morgan getting a boyfriend, which will see Robin going into overprotective dad mode. After chapter 20ish, the story will be dependent on requests for story arcs. If arc requests stop coming in, or a sufficient number of chapters have been posted, I will post the finale chapter to bring the story to a close. But as I said, there are still at least 11 more chapters to come, so do not fret! And thank you for all the new reviews! They really help me in continuing to write at such a fast pace, and I just want to pump out chapters for everyone! ****Anyways, I will post chapter 10 sometime this week! Until then,**

**-Austin**


	10. To Kill a Robin

**Chapter 10: To Kill a Robin**

Chrom was sitting behind the grand desk of the Exalt, paper littering the desk in an unorganized manner. Chrom was idly spinning a pen in his hand and it seemed he had not done any of his work today, as no paper truly sat in front of him. Lucina and Robin took two chairs from the sides of the desk and sat down. Chrom smiled at his daughter and attempted to shuffle the papers together to look like he knew what he was doing. He still wore his original combat gear from his time with the Shepherds, as it was the most comfortable to him.

"What can I do for you two?" Chrom asked his daughter with a smile. Robin started feeling the liquid courage flowing through his veins, and he decided he might as well be reckless, wanting Chrom to get on with his rage before feeling returned to his body. Lucina looked down at her lap and blushed.

"Well, Father, Robin and I wanted to tell you that-" She began before Robin interrupted her.

"Morgan is on the way" Robin said, rather bluntly. This earned a somewhat shocked look from his wife, as she could not believe that Robin would word their pregnancy announcement like this. Chrom seemed to not change his look, still keeping the smile on his face.

"Oh? I thought her and Sumia were supposed to be gone for the whole day. Well that's nice to know, I guess? Though I don't think it was really necessary to come tell me" Chrom smiled at his best friend and wondered why that was what they wanted to say.

"No Chrom. Lucina is pregnant, the second Morgan is on the way" Robin finally told the Exalt. Lucina remained silent. Chrom's smile slowly faded from his face, to the point that he was just wearing a blank face. He showed no emotions. He folded his hands onto the desk and sat up straight, staring at the door rather than the two in front of him.

"Very well. I am happy for you two. Lucina, dear, would you mind stepping outside for a second so I can congratulate your husband?" Chrom spoke in a slow, monotone voice. Robin was more fearful of this Chrom than the raging Chrom, even with his drunken state. Lucina finally looked up from her lap.

"No, Father. I'm not letting you hurt Robin again. You should be happy for us! After all, you knew this would happen! And we are very happy about this! I am a grown woman, Father, you can't treat me like a little kid" Lucina was clearly trying to hide her fear that was evident in her eyes by speaking in an angry voice. Chrom still did not look at either of them. He stood up from his chair in slow, exaggerated movements. He folded his hands behind his back and slowly walked to the bookshelf behind him. He removed the legendary blade, Falchion, from its stand on the middle shelf. Turning back around, he set the blade down across the table, still sheathed, and sat back in his chair.

"Robin. Do you know what this is?" Chrom asked in a deep, slow voice, no emotions showing.

"Yeah, and I have a feeling I am about to be reintroduced to the hilt of that sword" Robin had a hint of annoyance in his voice, wanting Chrom to get through his "overprotective dad" episode so that the two friends could celebrate. To his surprise, Chrom cracked a grin that seemed more genuine than sadistic.

"You are partially right. You will only be reintroduced to the hilt if you break one of two conditions. Morgan can't call me any form of the word 'grandfather' for at least twenty years, and you can't pull an episode like I have with the guys Morgan brings home" Chrom smiled brightly at his daughter and her husband, who both seemed to be in utter shock at the Exalt being so calm.

"But….but what happened to all the anger at the thought of me touch-…..being with your daughter?" Robin asked, thankful he caught what he was about to say in his drunken state.

"I was given some…..divine intervention, so to speak" Chrom answered, wincing as he remembered the beating Sumia had given him after the beating he gave to Robin upon the tactician's official return. Robin broke out in a smile, realizing what Chrom meant, while Lucina still looked lost.

"I guess I will have to thank the Queen for this then. It sure is nice knowing you aren't going to go psycho on me the next time you walk in on-" Robin was cut off by the Exalt holding up a hand, signaling Robin to stop that train of thought. "Nevertheless, I'm happy you've come to terms with all this"

"Yes, but now is not time for talking" Chrom smiled, pulling out a bottle of whiskey from under his dark brown oak desk. "I say we celebrate! Well, I guess Lucina can't because of the baby, and Robin is already drunk…" Chrom suddenly began to lose his smile and started mumbling, realizing he wouldn't get to celebrate as he wanted to.

"You have my gratitude, Father. I am sure this Morgan will bring as much light into the world as the other. I can only hope we can keep up with the two" Lucina smiled, looking knowingly at her husband, sharing a mental note about Morgan's energetic personality. Robin wrapped one arm around his wife, beaming.

"Thank you Chrom. Now we have to go find Sumia and Morgan to break the good news to them, I'm sure they should be getting into town soon. I spent a lot more time preparing for this battle than I should have apparently" Robin scratched his head, smiling embarrassedly.

"Well, I can't help but feel I gave you good reason" The Exalt shared in Robin's embarrassment. Seeing the two men act this way caused Lucina to burst out in laughter, the thought of two of the world's most powerful men being embarrassed by their own actions and presumptions was preposterous. The two men looked at her for a second before breaking into laughing fits of their own. After the laughter died down, Lucina went and took her husband by the arm and began to lead them out, confident that her mother had returned by now.

The two rushed to the front of the castle in time to see Morgan and Sumia unpacking a few things from their cart, it being obvious that their shopping trip was a success. Morgan was struggling to walk, bags wrapped up along her arms as she held a "T" pose, trying to bring in everything at once.

"_She sure is lucky she didn't inherit any clumsiness"_ Robin thought to himself as he watched his daughter carefully take steps towards the castle doors. Just as she was about to reach the door, she turned and saw her mother and father staring lovingly at her from the courtyard. She dropped all her bags at once and ran towards her parents, eager to tell them of the days' events.

* * *

"And then Grandmother bought me a new dress! It is the same color as my hair and the same style as Mother's dress that she wore for her birthday!" The young tactician eagerly explained the events of the day while eating dinner with her grandparents and parents. She took a large bite of the fresh roll in front of her, feeling as if she hadn't eaten in days. She glanced up to see nothing but smiles from her parents and grandfather and became curious as to what was so amusing. Suddenly her father cleared his throat, however his smile never left.

"I would like to tell you guys something important. It is one that requires a lot of attention, attention that cannot be had while trying to stuff an entire roll into one's mouth" Robin said jokingly, trying to get Morgan to stop eating things whole.

"What is it Dad?" Morgan asked excitedly. She bounced around in her seat, anxious to know what was on her father's mind. She had always been amazed by her father's intelligence and her mother's strong spirit, and as such became enamored whenever they had spoken with her.

"Your mother is now carrying a certain younger version of an energetic girl that we have come to love" Robin said with a smile. It took Morgan a second, but when she understood his meaning her eyes shot wide open, along with her grandmother's. Morgan rushed around the table and dove into a hug with her mother, while Sumia stood to do the same.

"Really!? I'm so excited! I can teach her…er…myself? I don't know, I'll figure that out later. I can teach her tactics and how to play and the perfect time to prank Father and I will introduce her to everyone and AAGGHHH this is going to be great!" Morgan was beaming and rushing off, talking at a mile a minute. Sumia was softly offering congratulations to her daughter, an evil smile on her as she was glad to finally be getting a young grandchild. She also seemed to look slightly shocked at the lack of damage on Robin, believing that Chrom probably would have lashed out on the tactician again. Sumia let out a sigh, happy that everything was going well for her family. Suddenly, the Exalt arose and tapped Robin on the shoulder, indicating to come with him and leave the three ladies alone to be excited and plan for the coming baby. Robin followed Chrom and closed the kitchen door behind him, still able to hear the shrill excited voices of Morgan and Sumia behind him.

"Thanks for getting me out of there. I fear my eardrums might have ruptured" Robin quipped, rubbing his right ear. Chrom broke out into a smile and punched his friend in the shoulder, earning a wince of pain from the tactician.

"Don't think you are out of the woods yet. We still have that celebration to get through" Chrom continued to smile widely. Robin let out a loud groan, knowing he was going to come back to his newly pregnant wife smelling of booze and waking in the morning with a massive headache. Luckily for him, these hangover headaches were all that plagued him anymore, the migraines that had struck him during the war had disappeared with Grima.

"And here I was thinking the noble Exalt of Ylisse was about to take me on a first date. Who would have guessed he only wanted to fill me with liquor and cause me to slip in judgement" Robin said in a playful tone. Chrom got a worried look on his face immediately.

"Please don't say that. It is bad enough when I find Sumia's stories she writes that already suggest that sort of thing" Chrom said with a shudder. Robin laughed at the wreck on a man before him, and started off towards the office he had been in that afternoon. Chrom quickly caught up to him as the tactician entered to commence the celebrating. The two men began to down as many shots of liquor as they could, never breaking their gaze at the other and never finding themselves without something to laugh about. The night waned on as the two finally reached the end of the stash Chrom had under his desk. All the time spent in war had built a tolerance to alcohol, so it often took a while to get to the level on drunkenness Chrom was looking for. The Exalt began to hiccup as he stood from his chair.

"I think that tis time to *hiccup* get back to the ladies that are soooo very nice" Chrom held a smile on his face, thinking of his wife. He stumbled a little before Robin stood to catch him.

"Ugh, why are you so heavy Chrom? It's like you haven't trained in months!" Robin grimaced, his strength having been replaced by the drunk sensation in his head. The two collapsed on the floor before beginning to giggle like little girls. Suddenly, they both stuck serious looks and glared at each other.

"Race you to our wives?" Chrom asked in a fierce, hushed voice. Robin narrowed his eyes and held a stern look.

"If you think you can keep up"

* * *

"Too loud" Robin muttered as he clutched his aching head, feeling the pain of last night's decision making coming to haunt him. Lucina had begun getting dressed and made no attempt to be quiet about it.

"This is what you get for last night. You know bad things happen when you drink with Father" Lucina said as sternly as she could, but broke into a small smile at the sight of her husband grabbing his head.

"I told you, I'm sorry for crashing into the table. I ran a little faster than I thought. Plus I had to prove to Chrom that he was still the inferior" Robin sighed as he recalled the kitchen door bursting open, much to the surprise of the three women that were cheerfully talking inside, and two drunken men racing to reach the table first. Robin had tripped and was sent sailing onto the table, sliding across it and knocking the empty plates to the ground, all while not missing a beat. He had stood and started celebrating his victory, unaware of the harsh gazes he was receiving for making a mess. His recollection stopped when he heard Lucina poorly stifling a laugh as she remembered her husband flailing about on the table. Robin smiled as he brought his head back into his pillow, happy his wife was still laughing at the whole spectacle.

Lucina stared out their window, looking out at Ylisstol.

"I hope someday we may be able to have our own home out in this world. It's not that I don't enjoy living with Mother and Father, I just don't feel welcome here. And I want to start out a life of my own, one with you and Morgan….and the new joy on the way" Lucina said warmly, rubbing her stomach. Robin smiled as he laid one arm over his eyes to shield the light.

"Lucina, you know you are welcome here. But I understand what you are saying. I promise that I will find us a new place to live as soon as I can" Robin said with a smile as he embraced the darkness that would cool his burning head. He heard shuffling in the silence that answered him. He then felt a familiar warmth being pressed to his lips, then heard the shuffling resume as his wife walked to leave the room.

"Thank you, Robin. I really do love you" He heard his wife say to him before continuing out the door.

"I love you too, dear" Robin replied, unsure if his wife had even heard him.

* * *

Lucina had been helping her father look over the military plans in regards to keeping the peace all throughout the continent of Ylisse when her husband came knocking at the door. She had left him in the morning and now dusk was slowly approaching. She was curious as to if he had ever even gotten out of bed.

"Lucina, I need you for a….urgent matter" Robin said in a calm voice.

"Urgent?" Both blue haired royalties replied at the same time, worried they might be under attack.

"Uh…not like that. Just a family matter" Robin attempted to calm the two down, realizing his initial wording could have been better. Lucina looked to her father, who motioned for her to go along, able to handle the remaining paperwork himself. Lucina walked out and took the waiting arm of her husband in her own as the two moved towards the entrance of the castle.

"What is so urgent?" Lucina asked inquisitively.

"It's a secret that I cannot spoil, even if you were to offer your heart and soul, the secrecy of this mission would never leave my lips" Robin responded in his best Virion impression, a smile stuck on his face.

"Very well, but beware that such secrets can be coaxed out of you with….certain methods" Lucina gave a sly wink, which brought a deep blush to her husband's face and causing him to drop the accent.

"Er…..I sure wish we had time for that. But with the sun setting I fear we cannot...implore these methods"

The two came to find a wagon waiting for them, Morgan already inside. Before Lucina could say a word, Robin lifted her into the passenger seat, then climbed into the opposite side and took the horses' reigns. He gave a swift call and the wagon lurched forward. The trio moved in the wagon for around half an hour, the whole time Morgan had never stopped asking if they had arrived yet. They had travelled at a slow pace, travelling only a short distance outside of Ylisstol to a hill that overlooked the city. Upon the hill sat a house with a base made of large, light grey stones, then was finished with a fine marksmanship of oak wood. The house had two stories and had a large window in the front that gave a view upon all of Ylisstol. Robin helped his wife and daughter out of the wagon, both of which stopped to stare at the house, amazed at its beauty. Robin stepped forward and motioned towards the house.

"Now, the urgent manner I wanted to discuss with you is our relocation" The tactician smiled as what he said rang in the ears of his two favorite girls. "This is to be our new home from here on out"

Morgan let out a squeal and ran in to check out her new home. Robin had been worried she might have been disappointed about leaving the castle, but clearly the thought of having a home alone with just her family, as well as only being a short march away from Ylisstol, brought much cheer to his energetic daughter. Lucina had brought a hand to cover her mouth as tears began to form in her eyes.

"Robin….it's so beautiful…but how did you find this? I only mentioned wanting a home this morning….how could you even afford this place?" Lucina asked confused, although her happiness was still flowing out of her in the form of happy tears and a smile. Robin wrapped his arms around her waist and smiled, whispering in her ear.

"Never question a tactician's ways. Unless, of course, you want to use those methods you mentioned earlier"

Lucina blushed before turning her face up and giving her husband a long kiss, wrapping both her arms around her neck. As the released, she pressed her head against his chest and stared happily at their new home. This had been the reason she had fought so hard. She was finally getting the life she had dreamed of, and had found a man that had renewed love in her heart. A man that she had been through so much with. A man that taught her to stop being negative about the future and find happiness in life. Little did he known that he would be the happiness that she found.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry that this took so long. I started this chapter the way I wanted, then hit a serious writer's block but continued to trudge on, trying to get this chapter written. I am hoping the chapter is the same quality that you all have come to love. Anyways, announcement time. I have gone back and updated the author notes in chapter 1 to sound more professional. Good news-Woo! 10,000 views! That is some crazy stuff, considering this story is about 2 weeks old! Thank you for all the reviews that have come in! They mean everything to me! Also-I have decided how I am going to end this story and I give a warning; it is going to be pretty damn emotional. So be ready whenever I decide to post the finale. I am also considering writing a prequel alongside this story, which would basically be a retelling of FE:A. It would be a much larger project and I would begin writing it immediately, which would likely have the side effect of this story and the prequel story only getting about one chapter a week, probably both released over the weekend. But before I even decide to do that, I would like every reader's input on if I should write that story. PM or review with your thoughts, please! I am not sure when the next chapter will come out, but as always it won't be longer than a week and could be as short as a day. Until next time,**

**-Austin**


	11. Pregnancy

**Chapter 11: Pregnancy**

"WHERE IS MY JERKY?"

The inexplicable raging shout roared throughout the house. Robin felt sweat beading at his temple as he rushed around the kitchen, attempting to find a stash of bear jerky that he had from a hunting trip with Chrom a week ago. While he was the one searching for the food, he was not the one that made the shout. Two months had passed since Lucina announced her pregnancy. Everything had started with only smiles as Robin and Lucina mused together about how they would treat the newborn. However, things started to take a violent turn as Lucina's hormones began to hit two weeks into her pregnancy. She suddenly began to crave the strangest items and would break out into a rage similar to her father's episodes. Robin was doing the best he could to fulfill these urges, as they immediately calmed the princess down into a normal state, where she would quickly smile and apologize. This had been occurring for the past two months.

None of this bothered Robin though. He still swelled with pride each time he observed Lucina's growing belly, knowing that their child would come soon. Theirs. A child that proved fate could be rewritten. A child that showed their success against Grima. A child that came against all odds. The odds of Lucina's failed future, her travel through time, Robin's troubled past that was forgotten to him, the emergence of Grima, three wars, and the disappearance of Robin from the physical world. A child that would forever remind them that they could do anything they set their minds to. And this thought made them burst with happiness. Robin knew that Morgan coming from the future had already proved they had succeeded with getting through the awkwardness with Chrom, however the fact that she too was sent back in time brought an ill foreboding of the future she was from. Now that the present Morgan was coming, it was a testament to the strengths of the ties of the Shepherds and their struggle to success. A fact that only Robin, Lucina and Morgan saw in the coming child.

Robin snapped from his thoughts as he found the jerky wrapped tightly in the cellar of their house and allowed himself a quick smile as he grabbed it and dashed back up the two flights of stairs to the source of the yelling. He opened the door slowly and peered inside with a small smile. Lucina and Robin had moved in a large bed and several bookcases to fill the master bedroom. The floor was made if the same wood as the wall, but now an ovular blue rug filled the space at the foot of the bed. Lucina's Falchion had been mounted on the wall above the bed and several small portraits lined the table adjacent to the door, each of a different Shepherd couple's wedding. Books covered the floor next to Robin's side of the bed, as he had been attempting to read to Lucina to take her mind off the occasional pains she would get, all while gripping her hand tightly. All of these sights were overshadowed by the figure that seemed to glow from the center of the bed.

Lucina was dressed in a simple blue nightgown, a decently sized bump appearing at the belly. Her skin glowed with the sunlight that fell upon her face, and her eyes had a keen sparkle to them. While she looked fit to burst in anger again as Robin delayed her craving, Robin could not help but stare at her beauty. In the months they had spent returned to each other's arms, Robin had never ceased to be amazed by his wife's beauty each time he laid his eyes upon her. Making a mental decision not to anger his wife any longer, he strolled calmly to the bed and took a seat on his side, gently unwrapping the bear jerky in his hand.

"Sorry it took so long, I need to clean out the cellar soon otherwise I might lose myself down there" Robin chuckled to himself, but gained no response from Lucina as her eyes were set upon the meat in his hands. Sighing, he handed it over to his wife, who finally let out a giant grin as she set herself to eat in large bites, similar to the way Morgan ate. As her craving finally began to vanish, she slowly began to lose her smile, looking up to her husband with an embarrassed look.

"I'm so sorry Robin….I hate when these things happen. It's as if I can't even control my body….I don't know what to do…" Lucina tried to explain until Robin held up his hand to stop her.

"I understand dear. Really, don't worry about it. I of all people should know what it's like not to have control over your own mind, so I know you don't mean any of it. I just want you to know I'll be here to help you. I finally called upon all the times Chrom told me to take time off, letting him know this was all his idea. I'm sure you know how that went" Robin said with a reassuring smile. He was happy when he saw he had earned a small giggle from his wife.

"Thank you Robin. I sure hope this doesn't continue though, I hate feeling helpless. Though I also can't help but be happy knowing that this child is real, knowing that it is a product of you being back and out love lasting. A sign we changed fate. If only I knew changing fate would bring about such pain" She said jokingly with a groan. Robin laid down on the bed next to her and wrapped his arm under her head. Sighing, he stared up at the ceiling.

"It sure has been a long trip. And none of it I would exactly call normal. I wake up in the field with no memory, you come back in time. I find you gorgeous, you don't give me the time of day" Robin snickered as Lucina punched his arm.

"I did too give you attention. Just not the kind you were used to your my Father and Tharja giving you" Lucina jested. Robin gave a fake scoff.

"At least Chrom kept me warm at night" Robin half joked. There had been one incident in Plegia where Robin and Chrom had to share a horse and the prince had dozed off, leaning up against Robin until the tactician decided to push his friend off the horse. Lucina laughed, recalling the first time that Robin had told her that story. Thinking back on it, she realized that it was one of the first times Robin had spoken privately to her.

"It sure wasn't for a lack of trying. I remember a certain tactician seeming to doze off in my tent every now and then during the march to Valm. It was a shock that Chrom hadn't had an episode yet."

It was true. Robin had often went off to consult Lucina on her knowledge of the war in Valm for a tactical perspective, however she always had trained late at night while the camps were set up. He found himself dozing off on the ground in her tent on more than one occasion.

"It's not my fault I found your beauty so stunning I was paralyzed each time I thought of you" Robin said in his best Virion impression. Lucina rolled her eyes and scooted closer to him on their bed.

"Yet for somebody that is paralyzed, you sure seem to never stop moving your mouth" Lucina teased. Robin let out a small laugh and rolled onto his side, facing Lucina.

"You know that there has only ever been one thing that shuts me up" Robin leaned in closer to Lucina's lips.

"I do know this, but I also know the same thing can get certain requests done, and I am feeling awfully thirsty after my lunch" Robin allowed a small frown to come forth as Lucina grinned alongside her rejection of his advances. He knew she was right though, and with the promise of a kiss when he returned he took the stairs down to the kitchen. As he filled a glass with water from a barrel in the kitchen, he heard the front door open as his daughter let out an exhausted sigh.

In the time Robin had taken off, Morgan had stepped up as Grandmaster for the Ylissean forces. Robin pulled a few favors so that she didn't have to manage the entire Ylissean Coalition that consisted of Ylisse, Plegia and Regna Ferox. It had been tiring for Robin managing these countries while he still worked, and knew Morgan would be too exhausted to move if she had to take up these responsibilities as her first true leadership role. As such, he talked with Flavia and a man named Abraham, who was the newly elected leader of Plegia. Chrom had promptly removed the monarchy in Plegia after all the troubles that Gangrel and Validar had caused, instead having the leaders of the Ylissean Coalition and the countries of Valm convene to elect a leader. Abraham had a minor role as a resistance leader during the final war with Grima, and had earned the confidence of the other leaders, at least more so than any other candidate. Flavia and Abraham agreed to control their forces for the time being, until Robin returned to work as the Grandmaster of the Ylissean Coalition.

Morgan thus was left to only have to care for Ylisse's own forces. The task was simple enough in theory, but the Ylissean army was enormous after gaining a surge of soldiers following Grima's defeat. Morgan's job required her to complete transfer requests, make sure each army unit was stationed correctly, respond to any raids of villages, and make sure the country didn't fall apart. While the people of Ylisse assumed that it was the Exalt that kept the peace and played the politics game, in truth it was the role of the Grandmaster, a task that Robin was relieved to have a temporary reprieve from. He set down the glass of water and went to help up his daughter, who had collapsed on the floor after returning home.

"Who…would have thought…..paperwork could be so….tiring" The Grandmaster let out between gasps for breath. Robin smiled as he knew the true reason for Morgan being out of breath was her sprinting all the way home, her daily routine whenever she had finished the day's work. She was simply too excited to see her mother and father to merely walk home.

"You will get used to it dear. After all, I had to put up with it for four years prior to Grima, and we were at war during that time. Trust me, you have it easy right now" Robin laughed as he picked up his daughter by the arm and propped her up against the wall, her breath starting to slow.

"I swear I would much rather face Grima again than spend another day doing all that paperwork. When did you say you are returning to work Dad?"

"After your sister has come into this world, as I've told you every day. Somebody has to be here to help your mother." Robin suddenly dropped his voice down to a whisper, "Unless you want to be the one here when she starts craving things"

Morgan's face paled as she remembered the first time she had heard her mother cry out in an unending rage for carrots, which prompted Robin to take the two mile run to Ylisstol, buy carrots from the market, and run all the way back. During the time he was gone, Morgan had tried to get her mother to calm down, but the swordswoman proved to be stubborn in her craving and was a frightening force. Morgan eventually had to settle with sitting outside the door to her parents' room, hoping her father would return soon. Of course her mother immediately apologized for the way she had acted once her craving had been settled. Morgan found the whole thing funny afterwards as it reminded her of a certain future child archer.

"No thanks, I'll take my chances with the paperwork" Morgan mumbled. Robin laughed as he messed up her hair and picked up the glass of water on the table, returning up the stairs. Morgan sighed and went off to draw a bath in her room.

"Even with all the wars finished, our family is still nowhere near normal…and yet…" Morgan spoke to herself, looking up to a portrait of her parents and herself that had been painted for the royal family's artist. "I couldn't be happier" She smiled as she returned to filling her bathtub with hot water from the pot in the bathroom's fireplace.

* * *

"I can't believe how much this place as changed" Lucina exclaimed, wide eyed at the sprawling market in front of her. When she had last left Ylisstol before deciding it was best to rest in the house Robin had bought for them for the majority of her pregnancy the city's market was only a small spectacle. Since then, the spring harvest had been collected and vendors were desperately trying to sell off their crops. Fruits and vegetables of all kinds were available to them and a huge crowd had flooded the town square where the market took place. Lucina kept one hand in Robin's and the other wrapped protectively over her stomach as her husband led them through the crowd, Morgan close at their heels. Lucina tried to get on her toes to see what foods were available, knowing her cravings would likely hit soon.

"I just wish the whole damn thing didn't involve so many people, it's impossible to get through to the castle" Robin muttered back. The family was on a trip to visit Lucina's parents, as they had not visited in a month. Robin was not aware that the spring market was occurring, and cursed himself as he knew he would be carrying back a large amount of groceries on their return trip, wishing he had gotten a wagon before they had all been sold off.

"Come on dear, it isn't that bad. Seeing these people here makes me so happy, just knowing our work allowed for this future" Lucina was in a more cheerful state than normal, most likely due to her hormones working in a positive light. Robin released some of the tension in his shoulders he had been holding as he heard his wife's words. He turned around briefly to look her in the eyes.

"Your right, I really shouldn't talk that way. However I think next time I will have the beloved Exalt come out to escort us in. At the very least the crowd will be distracted enough to allow us to slip by" Robin leaned and gave Lucina a quick kiss on the cheek before turning on his heel and continuing to push towards the castle. Most of the crowd ignored them, but some of the villagers grew breathless as they saw three of the great heroes of Grima's war walking among them. After what seemed like thirty minutes of weaving around people, the family finally made it to the castle steps.

"Phew. I didn't think we would ever make it through that. I felt like we were fighting against a crowd of Risen again" Robin wiped the seat from his brow as he straightened up, preparing to enter the castle.

"If you get that fatigued from walking through the crowd, I don't know how you made it through all three wars" Lucina teased.

"Funny, your father said something similar to me not too long ago. Better be careful before you become a clone of him and start putting holes in our house" Robin quipped in return with a smile. Before Lucina could give a witty return, a scream burst through the air.

"LUUUUCY! MOOORGAN!" the future Cynthia yelled as she rushed towards them, meeting Morgan halfway as the Grandmaster had rushed to embrace her friend.

"Sheesh, didn't they last see each other yesterday?" Robin whispered to his wife.

"Relax, it's good that Morgan has such a close friendship. I would treasure this if I were you, it won't be long before she finds this closeness with a boy" Lucina tried to play on her husband's nerves, as they so often joked with each other.

"She better not if she truly cares for the boy. I've learned how to scare boys quite well from your father" Robin's face grew stern.

"And yet, none of it kept you away from me" Lucina smiled as she grabbed Robin's arm and held it tightly against her side. Robin's stern look faltered as a smile took its place.

"Well, can you blame me? Nothing could keep me from the most beautiful girl in the world" Robin leaned and kissed his wife, taking a few seconds before parting from her lips.

"One day a boy will see Morgan's beauty like that as well. She is my daughter, after all"

"Hmm…." Robin brought his hand to his chin as he thought about what Lucina had said. "I suppose that is true. I'll have to do some…tactical planning with Chrom."

Lucina let out a laugh. "Really? You are going to plan with the guy that tried to kill you for dating his daughter about how to handle a guy? After he already made you promise not to act like him?"

"I won't be acting like him, I will be using improved techniques to instill fear" Robin said, in part to affirm his thoughts to himself. He did want to make sure he didn't act like Chrom, but wanted the ability to remove a boy he didn't like from Morgan. At least until she was thirty, when he would accept that she could go on a date. His wife laughed next to him.

"You sure are delusional today. Come on, let's not keep Mother and Father waiting. You know how they can get. I wouldn't want Father to think you were holding me up from seeing them with some….indecent deeds" Lucina smiled and winked at her husband's shocked face. She laughed and began leading them towards the castle, trying to catch up with Morgan, who was already inside.

"Alright, you win. But please, let's try to keep Morgan away from the boys for at least a little while. I'd rather just always be taking care of you, rather than worry about some boy" Robin conceded in defeat. Lucina simply smiled back to him, remembering a conversation she had with Morgan a few days prior involving a certain half taguel. That surprise for Robin could wait for a few more days though, Lucina decided as they walked into the castle.

* * *

**A/N: This is the first of a series of chapters showing various aspects of the whole pregnancy experience. It will probably get more crazy each time because, well why not? Anyways here is a little surprise early chapter for your Monday blues! leave a review to let me know what you thought! Until next time,**

**-Austin**


	12. Misunderstandings

**Chapter 12: Misunderstandings**

Chrom and Sumia sat inside the dining hall, laughing as they shared a simple meal of some grilled chicken and a few roasted potatoes that they had purchased at the market outside. While Chrom did not like the attention they received due to being royalty, Sumia played the part of the sociable queen, interacting with all of the citizens of Ylisstol and earning their love. She constantly pushed Chrom to go out and meet the people he was supposed to be ruling over, but he was much more interested in finding a sparring partner to escape from politics for the day. The past few days they had accomplished little in terms of ruling, as Lissa and Lon'qu had returned from a brief trip to Themis and Chrom took the opportunity to learn more of the Feroxi swordsmanship from his brother-in-law. The only reason they were not training today was because their daughter and her husband were visiting, and the royal couple had missed them dearly. They had wished they could go visit the house that Robin had purchased in the country, but they found the past few weeks to be too busy, as a good portion of the work Robin had been doing was pushed onto Chrom's lap during the tactician's vacation. Robin had sent Morgan as his replacement, but secretly took a load off his daughter's shoulders so that she wouldn't be overwhelmed and divided it among the leaders of the Ylissean Coalition. Since Robin left, Chrom had seen very little of him, only passing glances whenever Robin showed up at the castle during a market trip.

"I cannot wait to see Lucina, just the thought of her glowing with the baby makes me squeal" Sumia exclaimed with much excitement. Chrom looked up from his dinner and smiled at his wife, the soldier from the Shepherds that he had fallen in love with ever since she tamed her Pegasus. Since that occurred, Robin seemed to push the two together until they had bonded. In fact, as Chrom thought about it more, he realized that the pairs Robin teamed up in battle magically seemed to fall in love. His eyes broke wide open when he realized that Robin had purposefully left Lucina and himself without a partner, then coming to Chrom for "advice", ultimately ending up with the Exalt believing he had paired Robin and Lucina up himself.

"_That dastard…..thinking he is so cunning…._" Chrom thought distastefully about his dear friend.

"Chrom? Are you ok? You look like you just saw a ghost" A voice from across the table spoke. Chrom quickly shook his head to escape the chain of thought and smiled at his wife.

"Yes, I am fine. Just….coming to some realizations about the past."

"Oh? And what realizations are those?"

"Just that Robin seemed to pair up every Shepherd couple during the three wars. And just so happened to leave himself and Lucina without partners, making it seem like there was no other option than to fight alongside each other" Chrom muttered the last part, slowly becoming angry at the realization. He did not enjoy being played for a fool by his smartass tactician, as their rivalry in witty comebacks had lasted for nearly half a decade. His anger dissolved when he heard Sumia laughing, trying to cover her mouth with the back of her hand.

"Really? You are just noticing this? I would say that it was evident from the start that Robin was tampering with relationships. Even my flower fortunes were brought to be incorrect, due to his meddling. But I cannot say any of the pairs turned out for the worse, everybody seems so happy since they found loved ones in the war. After all, I got to keep you, even if you need some reminding of my presence every now and then" Sumia said with a smile, but it still frightened Chrom as he remembered the physical pain associated with when his wife got angry.

"I guess you are right. But I'm still going to mess with him now that I realize this"

"Very well dear, just please don't go overboard again. I _would_ like to see my new granddaughter after all"

With that, the doors to the mess hall were opened by some of the servants of the castle, followed by footsteps as Morgan and Cynthia stepped inside, Robin and Lucina close behind them. The two children in front rushed over to join Chrom and Sumia at their table, while Robin kept an arm tight around his wife, the two walking carefully with a royal posture.

"Hey Grandmother and Grandpa!" Morgan beamed from the table, seated next to Sumia. Chrom got a look of annoyance on his face, while Sumia wore a soft smile.

"Hello Morgan, how is your day off going?" Sumia asked her granddaughter.

"Amazing! Father and Mother brought me to the market and told me that I could spend the day with all of you and we can play and I don't have to do work and it is just so great!" Morgan spoke quickly in an excited manner, the way her infinite energy often seemed to make her talk. Sumia simply laughed at the girl's energy while Lucina and Robin finally sat down next to Morgan. Chrom glared at Robin.

"What did I say about being called 'Grandfather'?" Chrom asked coldly.

"To my knowledge, I believe you were talking about our coming baby" Robin shrugged in response, unfazed by Chrom's stern look. Sumia laughed at Robin's explanation, seeing that Chrom had once again lost his battle of wits. The Exalt fell silent while Sumia and Lucina began to discuss different aspects of the coming child. For over an hour everything from clothes and books and the frequency they would visit the castle was discussed. The day grew late, with Chrom and Robin remaining silent while their wives talked. Morgan had taken off with Cynthia for a Justice Cabal meeting, leaving only the older adults in the dining hall.

"I cannot wait to shop for Morgan's new clothes with you, Mother" Lucina said with a smile.

"It shall be grand indeed! Although you have to promise you will listen to my fashion advice, ok?" Sumia responded.

"Very well, Mother. I have learned from last time and I won't disappoint you" Lucina had a strange hint of determination in her voice, something that had disappeared along with Robin three years prior.

"Lucina! You could never disappoint me. Robin must be a bad influence for you to have such thoughts" Sumia said with a wink towards Robin. She knew just how to play her daughter's emotions to force out certain confessions, as Lucina's next response made evident.

"Robin has done no such things Mother! If anything, he has taught me how to live again and open my heart!"

Sumia chuckled at her daughter's response, and Lucina began blushing when she realized her Mother had tricked her again, as she did often before Robin officially confessed his feelings to Lucina.

"Relax, Lucina. I know how you feel about him, and I'm glad all these years have not changed that" Sumia smiled as she moved to the other side of the table to lean against her husband.

"And it seems you two have not changed either since I left. I'm glad Chrom didn't lie awake in heartbreak each night during those three years" Robin joked at his old friend, however Lucina seemed to frown slightly as she was reminded of how she responded to his absence.

"Watch out Robin, you don't want to wake the bear with that one" Chrom warned, subtly gesturing towards his daughter. Robin paled slightly as he realized what he said and wrapped in arm around his wife. This seemed to melt her grief away as a smile returned to her radiant face.

"Don't worry Chrom. I'm not planning on making her angry anytime soon. I'd like the coming Morgan to still have a father, after all" Robin joked as he placed a hand on Lucina's belly. The couples finished their meals and Lucina rushed upstairs with her mother. Chrom was left alone with Robin and began thinking about the conversation he had with Sumia.

"So Robin. I was thinking things over and I was noticing a strange pattern in your pairings among the Shepherds during the wars" Chrom began, speaking slowly, seeing how long it would take Robin to catch on.

"Oh? And what is that?" Robin asked, not showing much interest in the conversation as he stared at the staircase Lucina had gone up.

"Well, I just find it strange how you would think that, oh say a wyvern rider and a warrior would work well together. After all, every other combatant with a mount seemed to stay together, minus myself and Sumia"

"You mean Vaike and Cherche? I thought they just might work well together seeing as they both used axes" Robin responded with a hint of boredom and confusion.

"I see. What about two supports working together? Virion would seem to gain much more benefit from an experienced sword wielder such as Lucina as opposed to Olivia" At this, Robin began to show some slight discomfort.

"Ah, well, I just thought their personalities worked well together. There is more to battle than just tactics"

"And you wanted to keep Lucina's personality all to yourself, then?" Chrom finally stabbed at the heart of the matter. Robin began sweating as he realized Chrom knew what Robin was doing during all three wars. Each battle he had paired up people based on how he wanted them to marry. He was playing the hand of cupid, and when he had seen how beautiful Lucina was, he paired her with himself without a second thought under careful disguise of not knowing where else to place her.

"Uh…uh…no, I just thought it would be easier to observe what skills she had up close for the first few battles, then thought our fighting styles matched well" Robin struggled to answer under Chrom's glare.

"If that is the case, why did you never pair up with any new members before Lucina showed up? Chrom raised an eyebrow.

"You knew the Shepherds and could tell me who worked for each other, and then when the other future children showed up I was already working well with Lucina and didn't have anybody to pair with her" Robin answered, confident this would suffice as a reason. Chrom did not budge his facial expression.

"What about Tharja? Or Donnel or Anna? You had just as much experience seeing them fight as Lucina, but you did not pair up with any of them" Chrom was enjoying this too much, seeing the witty tactician squirming as he was not sure how to tell his father-in-law that he had been purposefully creating couples over the past wars.

"Well…er…." Robin could honestly say that he was stumped. He had never felt so pinned down, unable to get himself out of the situation. Even when he was sucked into the abyss by Grima and felt he had no more cards to play, he still was not this hopeless. Chrom only raised an eyebrow in the ensuing silence, seeming that he would force Robin to answer him. When Robin didn't, Chrom leaned forward and spoke in a hushed, stern tone.

"So you are telling me that you saw how beautiful my daughter was and decided to be the prince to sweep her off her feet, basically by not giving her a chance to bond with any other guys?"

Robin began to play with the collar of his coat, hoping to get more oxygen than he felt he was.

"I…uh….I just thought we would….make a good team…." Robin stammered, trying to find any exit but finding nobody was coming to his rescue anytime soon.

"And all that stuff that Lucina told me about how this just randomly happened and neither of you had planned for this was all lies?" The Exalt's face grew into a frown.

"Thaaaaaat isn't entirely a lie…she certainly had no part in it. If I wasn't good enough for her, I don't think she would love me, no matter what" Robin smiled nervously as he scratched his head, thankful that he had found at least a little footing in his defense. Chrom stared at Robin for a solid minute before bursting into laughter. The tactician just sat there, dumbfounded, unable to make any sort of response.

"Ya….Ya know….you should really see your face" Chrom managed to spit out between fits of laughter. "It isn't often that the 'great tactician of Ylisse' is as such a loss for words! Lucky Walhart didn't know all it took was talking about your relationships" Chrom wiped a tear away from his face while Robin sunk in his chair, a look of annoyance on his brow.

"Next time, I'm going to recruit Walhart's weird Risen corpse thing and have Cynthia marry him" Robin said with a hefty amount of spite and, to his great pleasure, saw Chrom's face contort into one of pure horror.

"You….you wouldn't..."

"I would and you know it. I have done worse. I got Frederick and Cordelia to marry. You know what the common trait was? _Their undying obsession with you_" Chrom suddenly blanched, realizing Robin was being serious.

"I would never allow Cynthia to marry that monster…." Chrom uttered in pure fear and anger, a strange mix, Robin noted to himself.

"Very well. Inigo it is!" Robin announced happily, standing from his chair and marching towards the door Cynthia and Morgan had run out of. And just like that, the tactician and squirmed out of possibly the most awkward conversation in his life and flipped the tables on his father-in-law.

"OH CYNTHIA! I HAVE GREAT NEWS!" Robin yelled happily.

"Oh no you don't you son of an unknown bitch!" Chrom tackled Robin from behind and pinned him down. Which, unfortunately, is when Sumia decided to return downstairs. She saw her husband mounted on Robin's back, completely red in the face and panting.

"_My my….what do we have here…"_ Sumia cooed in her head, thinking back to some certain fantasies she had in her more youthful days. She took a seat and brought out a quill, ink and paper from gods know where and began to write down the sight she saw before her. Chrom suddenly pulled back Robin's hair and Robin unleashed an inhuman scream, at which the tactician struggled to flip over, causing the two to be awkwardly straddling each other. They also had yet to notice Sumia, somehow.

"_Yes….excellent…."_ Sumia smiled creepily. Almost like Tharja. Actually, exactly like Tharja in her days of pursuing Robin. Suddenly, Robin reached up and punched Chrom, causing the Exalt's head to be turned towards the queen. His eyes widened as he saw his wife watching the two and quickly scrambled to get off Robin, his face reddening quickly.

"Uh…hi Sumia…we were just working out an altercation" Chrom tried to find a way to explain what was happening.

"_Why is she smiling like that…?"_ Robin wondered, until he made a realization that made him lose all color in his face.

"DEAR NAGA NO! WE DID NOT JUST LIVE OUT ONE OF YOUR TWISTED FANTASIES!" Robin screamed at the sinisterly smiling woman seated on the stairs. Sumia answered by folding up the paper she was writing and laughing manically, then racing back up the stairs. Robin turned to Chrom, who seemed to be sharing in the tactician's state of confusion.

"Chrom, I swear if this comes back to bite me in the ass, I am sending word to Virion as fast as possible and telling him we need Inigo to bodyguard Cynthia in case of assassins. You know, like the way Lon'qu and Lissa got together. Don't think I won't do it, I will absolutely do it. And I will hire actors to play the part of assassins. I can see it now; the pure, innocent heroine marrying the man that will stick his-" And that is how far Robin got before Chrom introduced the back of his hand to Robin's face.

"And if you do that, I will be glad to let Lucina know about that time you talked to Sumia about how you were conflicted in your 'feelings' after seeing the beauty of Marth in the forest. And, for that matter, after you met Libra as well"

"That second one was an honest mistake. _Seriously_, what kind of guy grows out his hair and speaks in a more feminine voice than Lissa?" Robin asked, still incredulous about the first time they had met the priest.

"He does choose some…strange ways to show his masculinity…how did you get him and Miriel together again?" Chrom asked with honest confusion.

"I took two people that seemed to never want any sign of human romantic interaction and put them together. Which somehow resulted in a child. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if they somehow made Laurent without ever touching each other"

"How would that even work?"

"I dunno. Have you seen some of the weird science stuff Miriel keeps in her basement? Its creepier than Tharja's hexing tools" Robin let down a shiver, thinking of all the times he had woken up with Tharja standing over him holding tools that looked like the things they clamped on goats to castrate them. Chrom let out a similar shudder, only imagining what those two women would do if they ever decided to team up for research purposes. He made a note to always go to them first if they ever needed a spy tortured for information. Then again, Henry could probably do that job just as well.

"_What assortment of fucked up people did I get to join the Shepherds, anyways?"_ The Exalt thought to himself, slowly realizing that he could easily have been killed by somebody in his ragtag group other than a mind controlled Robin. The two men sat on the floor staring at each other, unsure what to think about the idea of Miriel and Libra procreating.

"We should probably stop this chain of thought" Robin finally admitted.

"Thought you'd never say so" Chrom replied with a grunt as he stood up and dusted himself off.

"Guess it is getting pretty late. I say we get some sleep. Gods know what hell I'm going to go through now that Sumia has got these renewed fantasies in her head" Chrom let out a great sigh. "I can't let her talk to Miriel about another love potion. That was too close to working last time" Both men let out a shudder at the thought of the queen trying to get some sort of ridiculous, chemically induced, bad fanfic level of romance going on between the three of them, long before Lucina had joined the group. Ever since Robin had married the daughter of the Exalt, Sumia had stopped having these strange ideas. This seemed to be unraveling, however, at the recent turn in events.

"I'll take your advice on that one, I'll see you in the morning. I promise to keep my hands off your daughter, just please don't barge in on us in the morning again. It was starting to become a bad habit" Robin said with fatigue in his voice as he started to head off towards his and Lucina's old room.

"…Fine, but I swear if I hear anything, I will send Owain to your house to become your apprentice for the next decade" Chrom finally answered.

"Ok deal, I don't even want to think about the destruction that would happen with having two giant balls of energy close to each other" Robin thought to himself, imagining all sorts of chaos if Morgan and Owain regrouped the Justice Cabal in their own home.

* * *

Robin was lying quite comfortably in his bed, Lucina curled up next to him, her presence giving him the familiar warmth he loved so much. He was at complete peace. At least for the moment.

"Mother came back quite excited tonight. I heard you and Father are starting to show some…romantic interest" Lucina said as she struggled to contain her laughter, facing away from Robin to hide her smile.

"I don't even know how to respond to that one. Sometimes I don't know how your Mother keeps catching us in these ridiculous situ-" Robin tried to catch himself as he let the last part slip, failing to do so. "-ations" Lucina was suddenly turned back towards her husband, her eyebrows raised in honest curiosity and surprise.

"Situations? As in, more than one? My, my, I didn't take you for such the straight forward type. I sure didn't get to experience any of that when we first started showing interest in each other" Lucina jested, lightly poking at Robin's ribs with her index finger.

"I don't want to talk about it" Robin turned on his side as a blush creeped up his neck, thinking of all the embarrassing times him and Chrom had gotten tangled up in a fight and Sumia had walked in, always getting the wrong impression.

"But Robin, how can you turn down your favorite princess?" Lucina asked in a seductive voice, leaning in and breathing gently into Robin's ear.

"_How does she always know how to fluster me?"_ Robin thought to himself.

"No. It is not working this time."

"C'mooooooon. Please? Just for me? I promise I won't tell" Lucina whispered lightly.

"Why do you always make it so hard to turn you down…." Robin was legitimately flustered at his wife's ability to control him so easily.

"I'll trade you for your story. A kiss for each story"

"Fine, damn sometimes you are better than Anna at negotiating" Robin mumbled. Just as he turned to kiss his wife, the door burst open.

"OH! These flowers DID need watering!" The Exalt said as he stared straight at Robin, who was halfway to kissing his wife.

"NAGA DAMN IT CHROM!"

* * *

**A/N: Sorry. Just….sorry. This took a damn weird turn. I got bored and felt like the chapter was stalling, so I decided to put in my poor excuse for humor and got this. And sorry that this took a while, I was busy this week and didn't really like the beginning of this chapter so I made some changes. Also, I am sorry to say I might not be able to update more than once or twice in the coming two weeks, my final exams are starting up so I need to focus on those. Right now I am not sure about the status of the prequel, as only two people have showed any interest in it, and that is not very much considering this would be a long, probably around 300,000 word story that I would write. Just in case, I started doing the chapter intros (I got a lot of inspiration from Paper Mario for the Wii and it's chapter endings) and let me say, if the story happens get ready to hop aboard the feels train. Anyways, let me know how you liked this chapter with a review, PM me if you want me to write the prequel (you may even get a small snippet of what to expect), and don't forget to follow and fave this story! All of the above help me get chapters out and make me want to write more for you guys! Also I fixed my laptop screen! I can actually see more than half the screen! I'm excited. Thank you to everyone that has reviewed so far, seriously you are all awesome. And damn 50 favorites in a few weeks! Again, all of you=awesome. Until next time,**

**-Austin**


	13. Surprise

**Chapter 13: Surprise**

Robin awoke with a start. He glanced around the darkness, searching for something. He turned and saw his wife lying next to him, peacefully asleep. Half of his anxiety rushed away from him. Waking up in the darkness had stopped bothering him a long while ago, his fear now was waking up to find Lucina going into labor. She was now nine months along in her pregnancy and the baby was bound to come any day. He had trained himself in the past few months to be able to wake up at any noise, so that he could quickly react and get his wife help. About a month ago he had taken a week to resume his role of Grand Tactician, leaving Morgan behind to take of Lucina. In that week, he got through his work quickly and learned how to properly deliver a baby from Lissa and the other healers present in the castle, this way when the time came he was ready. All that was left was being prepared for when Lucina showed the first signs of labor, a time Robin was fearful of. He was happy to welcome the Morgan of this timeline into the world, but also fearful for the responsibilities he had as the one to deliver the baby. They had plenty of false alarms recently, as the baby Morgan seemed to want to escape and run around the world as soon as possible, not unlike her future self.

What had woken Robin up was a feint knocking sound, and now that he saw his wife was not the source of it he was worried about where it could truly be coming from. He listened carefully as he stood up from the bed, trying to hear any other sounds. The tactician held his breath and waited. Sure enough, after a few seconds he heard the knock again, followed by a man whispering.

"_Bandits"_ Robin cursed to himself. He wasn't about to let anybody harm his family. He leaned over to pick up the rapier that was leaned against his nightstand, a blade that held high importance to the couple so many years ago. A blade that connected future and past, along with the memories lost between, having been integral to recovering the memory of one of the lovers. Robin shook his head as these memories came rushing back to him, deciding that story could be remembered in the future. He unsheathed the rapier and allowed the moonlight to reflect off the silver blade that was infused with amethyst and obsidian. He slowly opened the door to hallway and peered out. Once again, the male whisper could be heard, seeming as if it was in Morgan's room. Robin picked up his pace, worried the bandits had gotten to Morgan. But she should be able to defend herself, so why would the bandits still be talking if they truly were in her room?

Robin let these thoughts slide out and decided to just hurry and figure out the problem. He leaped down the stairs two at a time and came up to Morgan's closed door, which was definitely where the source of the voice was coming from. In Robin's fear, he could not figure out what the words being whispered were, but he thought he could hear his daughter mumbling in a low voice.

"_No bastards are going to hurt my daughter!" _He thought to himself, anger creeping up inside his gut.

Robin put his foot into the door, shattering the lock and causing it to swing open. He stepped forward, his face red in anger as he was going to kill whoever was attacking his daughter, both hands holding the rapier in front of him. The sight in the room stopped Robin in his tracks.

Two figures were lying on top of each other on Morgan's bed. Both had stopped making noise and had turned to stare at the figure in the doorway. Even from here, Robin could see the whites of their eyes as the two figures stayed still, shocked at Robin's sudden entrance. Robin could make out blue hair on the figure on the bottom and decided the one on top must be the aggressor. He charged forward, rapier ready for blood as the figure on top scrambled to jump off the bed and hide behind it.

"FATHER! STOP!" Morgan's voice rang out in the house. Robin slowed his pace, confused as to why Morgan would want to protect the bandit that appeared to be trying to have his way with her. _Unless…._ Robin glanced up and saw two long ears hanging off the figure's head, but could not make out any distinguishable features on the shadowy figure. He glanced over to Morgan, the moonlight pouring through the window allowing him to see half her face. She seemed almost angry at her father for bursting through the door.

"Pl-please don't kill me…I can't go extinct…" The figure mumbled. The voice was familiar to Robin. He looked at the figure again and saw it was trembling.

"Yarne?" Robin asked, completely confused. The figure made a small nodding gesture, barely visible in the shadows.

"Why the fuck are you in my home, on top of my daughter?" Robin asked as his anger began rebuilding, holding the rapier up once again. Morgan jumped in front of Yarne, holding her arms out as if to protect him.

"No Father, you can't hurt him! Yarne is my boyfriend!" His daughter shouted. A large *thump* was heard as the figure behind her fainted. Morgan turned to find her beloved boyfriend had passed out in fear of Robin.

"Well that wasn't supposed to happen" She muttered to herself.

"No boy is allowed to touch you, Morgan. He will pay with his life" Robin seemed to have lost all mental thought. His eyes were glazed over and his body moved on its own. He had not been this way since Validar controlled him, but the reason for this movement was the same thing that had taken hold of Chrom previously; an overprotective father disorder. Morgan quickly grabbed a tome from the floor, glancing at it to make sure it wasn't too strong, relieved as she found that it was just a normal wind tome. She opened it quickly and held a hand out at her father.

"Don't make me have to use this!" She cried out, tears beginning to form. Robin continued advancing, rapier held out. Morgan let out a sigh.

"Wind!" She yelled as a small cyclone formed in front of her palm, then released out at Robin. To her surprise, the rapier sliced the spell in half, causing it to dissipate to either side of him. Robin reached out and pushed Morgan to the side, setting his eyes on the unconscious Yarne. He raised the rapier above his head as shouts of protests from Morgan fell on death ears.

"ROBIN! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" The anger in the voice behind him snapped Robin back to reality. He flinched as he recognized the voice and slowly lowered the rapier to his side. He turned to see his wife standing at the doorway, hand underneath her belly for support, as her cautious nature brought a habit of doing. Her face wore a scowl as she stared at her husband, who seemed ready to kill the taguel that was collapsed on the floor.

"I…uh…walked in to find Yarne on top of Morgan" Robin said, his voice a mix of both his anger at the fact of the statement and the fear of his wife. Her anger along with her hormones would bring her to a Noire level of scariness. His wife began walking towards him until she was a foot away, her belly almost touching him.

"What did you promise Father? You said you would not go crazy when Morgan found a boyfriend, otherwise he would personally return the pain you gave!" Lucina was livid, her eyes twitching as she struggled to control the level of her voice. Morgan had gotten off the bed and was tending to Yarne, who was still shaking in fear.

"Yes, I know, but I didn't exactly expect to walk in to find-" Robin began before Lucina cut him off.

"And do you think Father expected it when he walked in on us? Honestly Robin, I don't get what causes men to go crazy when their daughter likes a boy!"

"Well I-I thought she was being attacked at first and that caused me to go defensive and-" Robin stopped as he noticed the lack of surprise in Lucina's eyes. Slowly, he came to a realization.

"Wait a second…..you knew these two were interested in each other, didn't you!" This time it was Lucina's turn to be at a loss for words. Some of anger dissipated into a flush of embarrassment.

"Morgan mentioned to me that she liked a certain boy and I gave her my blessing. Therefore, I will stand by her side and protect them!" Lucina reached behind her and drew Falchion, which had been stuck into the sash of her night robe behind her back.

"You knew and didn't tell me?" Robin asked, incredulous that she would hide this. Morgan began to drag Yarne towards the window, taking this opportunity to get him safe away from her father.

"I didn't think it was the right time. I was going to tell you once the baby came"

"Why wait!?"

"Because…because I knew you would act this way! I wanted you to have a baby girl that you could focus on protecting, and then maybe you could realize that your daughter is a full grown woman that can make her own decisions! For the love of Naga, Robin, I know how it feels when your own father doesn't trust you around boys! It hurts! I didn't want Morgan to have to go through that!" Lucina began to form tears in her eyes with this admittance. She lowered Falchion and reached up her off hand to hold her head. Robin dropped his rapier to the floor, wearing a look of defeat and shame. Morgan, having shoved Yarne out her first story window, walked over and wrapped her arms around her mother. Robin cursed under his breath, then proceed to walk over and wrap his arms around his two favorite women.

"I'm sorry….I shouldn't act that way. I just didn't want to see my daughter being hurt….I guess it is Yarne, not Inigo….I should trust in Morgan to handle him more" Robin sighed into his wife's blue hair. He felt a little giggle come from her and moved a hand to cup her chin while using his thumb to wipe away her tears. He lifted her head up slightly so he could see she wore a small smile.

"Robin….if Morgan ever goes on a date with Inigo, I will personally assist you in beating some sense into that boy" Lucina laughed at the thought of her old friend being cornered by her and Robin.

"Hey! Don't I get any say in this?" Morgan quipped up to her parents.

"You get to say that you won't date Inigo" Robin responded, holding a serious face while his wife burst out laughing.

"Now, I will let this whole….event….slide, but you two have to have a proper date at the end of this week. No meeting in secret, just go into Ylisstol for some dinner. Get to know him, have a real talk. Then come back home _alone_ and you can talk to me about what he is like, and I will let you know if I approve. Follow all that, and I promise not to be so violent with him" Robin spoke to Morgan in a soft, but stern voice as he placed a hand on her head to ruffle her long blue hair.

"Okay, Father! But just know Yarne is the best boyfriend ever!" Morgan exclaimed, resuming her normal level of energy. Lucina smiled and stroked the back of Morgan's hair.

"I don't know about that. Your father was quite the keeper back in the day." Lucina smiled at her husband before getting an evil look in her eyes.

"Though now he is getting old, perhaps Yarne will be better than him" She joked.

"Father didn't have all that fur to keep you warm though!" Morgan was confidant she could win this battle of lovers. Robin let out a sigh and sat on Morgan's bed, choosing to not get between the two women discussing who the better man was. He wondered how he had possibly gotten into this mess and cursed himself for not paying enough attention to Morgan the past few months to realize the change in her emotional state. Thinking back, she had grown more cheerful in the past few weeks, a thing he originally just attributed to the closeness of the new child's birth. But as he thought more, he knew that it must have been finding somebody to share her heart with. During the Valm campaign, Robin was working himself miserable, until he confessed his feelings to Lucina. Since then, he had slowly grown happier, even though he worked himself to death. Surely, there was nothing else that could have caused Morgan to be as happy as she was recently while she still had to do all that paperwork for Ylisse.

"_This must have been exactly how Chrom felt"_ Robin thought to himself. He then remembered the grey hairs that had worked their way into the Exalt's previously all blue hair.

"_Damn, I must be getting old as well"_ Robin fell back on the bed, accepting that he was no longer his energetic, youthful self. Ever since the war ended, all the Shepherds had to find a way to live normally, despite having trained all their lives to be soldiers. A handful stayed in the armies, while most did as Robin had done and settled down, finding less violent means of work. All of the future children had been born in this timeline, except for Morgan of course. His thoughts were interrupted as he saw his wife and daughter embracing, seeming to have found common ground for their little debate. He had tuned out the conversation, and frankly was not too interested in what the result was. He knew Morgan would look up to him and also knew that as long as Lucina loved him, he would always be happy. He began to stand back up, realizing how fatigued he was. He walked over to the window to see Yarne was still unconscious. Sighing, he turned to Morgan.

"Morgan, you can get Yarne into one of the guest bedrooms and he can head out in the morning. Naga knows he is too scared to walk back tonight, and I'd rather an old friend stay inside the house. But don't plan on having him in your room, you never know when I will pop back down to check, and he won't have a room after that" Morgan nodded and rushed out to the front door, ready to drag back in her boyfriend.

"Right, well I say it is about time to get back to bed, I'm about ready to fall asleep" Robin said as he stretched his arms over his head and let out a yawn. Lucina smiled softly to him and gave a small kiss on the cheek. Robin wrapped an arm around her waist and helped her to slowly climb the stairs. Once they reached the top, Robin moved to enter the bedroom while Lucina stopped and wore a look of pain.

"What is it? Is the baby kicking again?" Robin asked, holding his wife tight so she knew he was there. Her face was blank and seemed almost fearful. Robin heard what sounded like water dripping on the floor and looked down to see a small puddle underneath his wife. He was confused for a moment, but the reality of the situation hit him hard. All sense of needing sleep vanished in an instant. Lucina looked up at her husband, putting both of her shaky hands on his arms. She gave a smile, but her face showed a mixture of fear and happiness.

"Morgan is coming" was all she was able to say before her voice vanished among a mixture of emotions.

* * *

**A/N: Guess what next chapter is! That's right, HERE COMES BABY MORGAN! Sorry this chapter is a bit short, as I mentioned I am taking my college finals and won't be able to update much. I wanted to leave on an exciting note then have the next 2 weeks to type up the coming chapter. Also, that little story about the rapier being important? Yeah, let's just say that is a huge part in the story about Robin's adventures prior to his disappearance with Grima. But, I wouldn't just mention that and then not tell you about that story, right? Well, let's just say that particular story will be told, but it will NOT be a part of **_**The Return to Life**_** (*hint*hint*). I am finding that I will run out of ideas soon, and need suggestions on future story arcs. I am already having one about Morgan's dating life (as set up this chapter), but after that I got nothing. So send your ideas please! Also I have decided to start leaving comments about reviews of the previous chapter in these author notes. I originally was sending out PMs but not I will just say things here (that way you have to come back). Anyways-answering time!**

**Jammy1298 and the guest reviewer-the prequel has begun and I will likely release the first 2 chapters of it after Chapter 20 of this story comes out.**

**Antex-Thank you, I hope I continue to impress.**

**Extreme Tactician- Thank you, honestly I haven't put much thought into who the other future kids date, right now I am focusing on Morgan. Maybe that will be a future arc. I had not thought about mentioning the other kids, so I did so this chapter.**

**Thank you for all of the support (70 followers!), please be sure to leave a review and let me know what you think! Until next time,**

**Austin**


	14. Birth

**Chapter 14: Birth**

Robin rushed around the house in a frenzy that could not be stopped. Morgan had taken off, riding on the back of Yarne's rabbit form, heading for Ylisstol to get Lissa. Robin had training in childbirth and would be able to get through the delivery, but he would feel more comfortable if Lissa was here to help in the aftermath. He could hear Lucina yelling upstairs from the cot he had placed her on in their room.

"Dear Naga why am I so nervous! And where are the damn towels?" Robin was yelling to himself as he scrambled around the first floor, desperately grabbing what he needed.

"I FEEL LIKE MY INSIDES ARE TRYING TO ESCAPE" Robin heard his loving wife exclaim.

"DEAR NAGA HELP ME ROBIN! I WILL MAKE GRIMA'S WRATH FEEL LIKE NOTHING"

Robin gulped down air, now feeling fright on top of his nervousness. He abandoned his search after finding only one towel and a sharp dagger and ran upstairs. Lucina was laying on her back on the cot, her legs bent and separated. She had changed into a gown that Lissa had given to them. Robin hurriedly grabbed her hand, giving her an outlet to unleash her pain. She let out an ungodly scream and broke a few bones in Robin's left hand from her squeeze. Robin jerked his hand but couldn't escape Lucina's iron grip.

"ROBIN YOU GET DOWN THERE AND DELIVER THIS BABY" Lucina yelled with daggers in her eyes. Robin quickly moved to face the underneath Lucina's gown, desperately trying to recall his training with Lissa.

"And I thought I was the one with fell blood…" Robin muttered to himself, thankfully quiet enough that Lucina didn't hear it with her screaming filling the house.

"Okay dear, take deep breaths. When you feel like you are absolutely about to explode, push hard for me" Robin spoke as calmly as he could, but the words still fell out quickly with a hint of uncertainty. Lucina's face had gone red from pain and the sides of the cot where she was squeezing had all but snapped off. She started taking deep breaths in rapid succession, all the while yelling more than Vaike in battle. Finally, as her face turned a deep crimson, she let out another yell and began pushing as hard as she could. Robin waited to see the baby's head crown, but unfortunately this push did not seem to do it.

"Good, good, just like that, you are doing great just keep it up" Robin tried as hard as he could to smile and give encouragement to Lucina, but he was met with a cold gaze with a deadly intent.

"YOU TRY KEEPING IT UP WHEN SOMETHING IS TRYING TO RIP OUTSIDE YOUR BODY"

"Just….keep it up dear it will be over soon" Robin said with a hint of dejectedness. He knew Lucina would be harsh during this time, but he hadn't expected the coldness that came with it. Granted, she was in a considerable amount of pain and Robin knew she didn't mean anything wrong by what she said. With another push, Robin finally saw the baby Morgan's head crown.

"There! Keep pushing you are almost through it!" Robin cheered on his wife, who began pushing with all her might, all the while taking quick, shallow breaths. Robin cradled the baby's head, patches of matted blue hair covering her head. After another five minutes of pushing, Robin securely held their new baby daughter in his arms. He smiled as he stared at their child. He loved Morgan without a doubt, but there was something special about their own personal child in this timeline. While still tangled in his thoughts of love for this miracle, he wrapped their daughter in the towel he had grabbed and carefully used the dagger to slice the umbilical cord, as Lissa had taught him. He gave a gentle pat to the baby's back, and stood nervous for a few seconds until he heard the wailing of the baby come next. Relieved that the birth had been successful, Robin placed the baby in the crib they had brought in a few weeks earlier. He turned back to his wife, who still had a considerable shade of red coloring her face.

"We did it. She is absolutely beautiful Lucina. Now let's finish this up and get to loving her with all our hearts, like the princess she is" Robin said with a large smile on his face, thinking nothing could ruin this moment. In his ecstasy, he failed to notice Lucina was struggling far more than she should at this point, and seemed to not be smiling at all.

"ROBIN THIS ISN'T DONE YET" Lucina finally exclaimed, clearly in pain. Robin chuckled while wearing a puzzled look. He picked up the bowl for the next part, wondering why Lucina seemed so panicked.

"I know dear, but it is just the placenta, it shouldn't be that big of a deal" Robin spoke nonchalantly, trying to calm Lucina.

"NO ROBIN! THAT ISN'T WHAT IS COMING!" Lucina's voice rang through the house, causing Robin to pause where he stood as he slowly understood.

"Oh. OH. OH DEAR NAGA I NEED ANOTHER DAMN TOWEL!"

* * *

Morgan hurriedly leapt off Yarne's back when she reached the castle. She ran inside, yelling for her aunt.

"LISSA! THE BABY IS HERE!" Morgan yelled between her gasps for breath. She waited a minute in the foyer, then realized she had yet to get an answer. She took off up the stairs, her long blue hair flowing behind her. She arrived at Lissa's door and started pounding furiously on the door, all the while yelling Lissa's name. After what seemed like five minutes, a sleepy-eyed Lissa finally opened the door, not speaking but yawning while she awaited to know why her niece was in such a panic.

"Lucina is having the baby!" Morgan grabbed Lissa's hand and started rushing out back to Yarne as Lissa slowly realized what was happening.

"Wait Morgan! I have to get my medical gear!" Lissa pulled away from Morgan and ran back to her room. Morgan let out an irritated sigh and crossed her arms, wanting her aunt to hurry so they could help her mother. She also wanted to see her younger self, finding a creepy delight in being able to team up with her younger self. As the mischievous plans of hers formed in her head, Lissa reappeared and ran to the front door. Morgan picked up her pace and both of them soon exited the palace to find Yarne waiting for them, still in bunny form. Lissa got a horrified look as she looked at Morgan.

"No. You…there's no way you just rode Yarne here" Lissa was absolutely dumbfounded. Morgan only responded with a nod accompanied by a cheeky grin. Yarne's only reaction was to droop his head.

"Well he certainly didn't get his fighting spirit from Panne…" Lissa muttered as Morgan lifted her onto the taguel's back before hopping up as well. The trio took off at a rapid pace, Morgan not being bothered by the speed while Lissa snatched at fur, hanging on for dear life. It didn't take long for them to reach the house on the hill, and Morgan and Lissa wasted no time getting inside to help Lucina and Robin.

"Naga only knows how much destruction Lucina has caused" Lissa spoke to herself as she walked through the door, only to find Robin standing at the bottom of the stairs, an empty stare glazing his eyes. Before Lissa could speak, Robin tilted his head, indicating for her to go upstairs. Lissa was confused why Robin was in such a strange state, but didn't question it as she rushed up to Lucina, fearing something bad must have happened. Morgan hurried into her house, and as the same question that Lissa had about her father's appearance formed in her mind, her aunt's voice rang out.

"TWO!?"

Morgan's only response was to cock her head to the side as Robin walked over to her. He got down on a knee and put his hands on both her shoulders. Morgan was honestly scared that something had gone horribly wrong, and all the plans she had with her younger self began to vanish. Before she could get to wondering about the time paradoxes that would cause, Robin gave her a serious look in her eyes that she only ever saw when she was being scolded.

"Morgan." Robin spoke in an eerily calm voice for his current demeanor. Morgan gulped, not knowing what was to come. And certainly, the next words out of her father's mouth caused her to lose all ability to speak.

"Where is your brother?"

* * *

Robin shifted onto his side so he could look at Lucina, the moonlight dancing off her skin. She was peacefully asleep, obviously happy to not be bearing children anymore. The past few weeks she had found that sleep no longer found its way to her, and more often than not she was left to lay awake in the dark, having a sense of loneliness even though Robin was always asleep right next to her. He had told her that she could wake him if she couldn't sleep, but she never took him up on his offer, instead letting him sleep, as she knew he had never been able to sleep much. In Lucina's eyes, Robin was all that mattered and she would go to any lengths just to bring him some small comfort.

Lucina was now asleep, laying on her back with the bed sheets tangled around her legs, finally ending slightly above her waist. Her hair was disheveled and seemed to always find its way into Robin's mouth when he got close to her. In almost all aspects, she looked like a mess. But the one aspect that Robin could never overlook was the small smile and calmness that were clear on her face. Robin watched her chest rise and fall, listening to her soft breathing, thankful that for once he was able to make sure her needs were met. It had been a week since the twins, Megan and Marth, had been born and Robin had spent each night awake, ready to take care of them at the first sound of crying so that Lucina could sleep. Seeing the peace on her face was more than enough to keep Robin pushing through his fatigue. Just looking upon her beauty brought a smile to her face.

Another hour went by with just Robin watching his wife. She had eventually shifted in her sleep and now her hand laid on Robin's with her forehead pressed against his chest. Before Lucina was pregnant, she always would find a way to be touching Robin at all times while they slept. It was as if it were a comfort mechanism, as if she wanted to be sure that he wouldn't disappear like he had before. She had done this every night since his return and continued to do so on the nights she could find sleep during her pregnancy. Robin's heart began to beat a little faster as Lucina let out a sigh in her sleep, her breath causing a rise in heat on his chest. Before he could continue to appreciate the moment, he heard a shifting followed by crying as Megan had woken up.

Robin carefully removed himself from the bed, making sure not to wake Lucina. He crept over to Megan's crib and picked up the blue haired angel, cradling her in his arms as the memories of the week crept over him. When he confronted Morgan about the whereabouts of her brother, she seemed confused until a headache seized her, causing her to collapse to the floor. It took a few minutes, but eventually the headache subsided and Morgan found long forgotten memories had resurfaced. She was only able to remember what her brother looked like, that he had not come with her into this world, and his name was Marc. She was upset that she could not remember more, but Robin was quick to extinguish any guilt she had. The family learned that Morgan's memories could be recovered with certain triggers, but had not had time to see if they could recover more memories yet.

Robin and Lucina later decided to name their new daughter Megan, as it was close to Morgan and they had found the name pretty the first time they heard it. Marth was their son, and the fact that he had the same piercing blue eyes as Lucina was enough for them to know that he would take after Lucina in combat preference. They used the Hero-King's name, much as Lucina had when she first came to the world. They both that their son was more than likely to live up to his namesake.

Megan finally fell asleep after being cradled for ten minutes and Robin returned to his spot, only to find that Lucina had flipped onto her stomach and sprawled out her limbs, covering the entire bed. Robin sighed and elected to sit on the edge of the bed while stroking Lucina's hair. He smiled as he saw her face soften and stayed there the rest of the night, not being able to find the will to break away and cause that look of peace to disappear.

* * *

**~Two years later~**

Lucina sat in the front yard on the chair Robin had built. The sun was beginning to dip low in the sky, causing deep oranges and violets to color the sky. Megan sat in Lucina's lap, her blue hair stopping just above her shoulders. Her bright brown eyes stared out in the horizon, paralleling Lucina's as the both looked for their favorite man to come back from work. Lucina felt a tug at the hem of her yellow sundress and looked down to see Marth had seated himself next to the chair and was playing with the piece of cloth. Lucina smiled and ruffled her son's hair, which was now almost long enough to cover his eyes.

"Momma?" Megan asked in a high pitched squeak.

"Yes Megan?" Lucina replied in a warm, motherly tone.

"Where is Dadda?"

"He is on his way home, dear. I'm sure he will be coming up the hill soon" Lucina smiled and slightly tilted her head to the side. Megan looked up in amazement that her mother could predict the future and looked out on the horizon, anxiously waiting for the telltale coat to appear. Megan had just as much energy as Morgan and had proved to be like her in every way. Marth, on the other hand, was much more reserved. Morgan had told her parents that the older Marth wasn't in this world, so the family grieved as they considered him lost to the pains of life and death. Marth didn't seem to tire easily, but he never had the energy spurts that Morgan and Megan had. He was very shy around people outside the family he saw every day, and tended to cling to his mother's side at all times. They were both beautiful children, and Lucina knew that all the pain she had gone through up until Robin's return was worth it now that she had a complete family. She loved in ways she never thought possible, and found herself smiling no matter what was happening that day.

"Dadda!" Megan's scream snapped Lucina from her thoughts. Sure enough, the tactician was making his way up the hill, a big grin covering his face as he heard his daughter's voice. Megan climbed down off Lucina's lap and ran towards Robin and small, shaky steps while Marth continued to cling to Lucina's dress, only a slight smile on his face.

"Who is this? It couldn't possibly be Megan, when I left she couldn't even walk!" Robin spoke in a loud voice but had a certain softness to it.

"Dadda! I'm Megan! You onwy weft a few hours ago!" The toddler was able to speak a good number of phrases for her age, a testament to the girl's intelligence. Robin swooped down and lifted her, balancing her on his shoulder as he continued towards the house.

"I can't believe my little girl is growing up so fast. Next thing you know she will be getting engaged!" Robin joked, though deep inside the truth of the words bit at him. Lucina smiled at the pair as they approached.

"Morgan did just get engaged, so I wouldn't put it past Megan" Lucina laughed as she saw the anger mix into her husband's face at the thought of losing both his daughters.

"Big sissy is da best!" Megan cried out cheerfully, pumping a fist into the air.

"Yea! She can beat up any body!" Marth joined in, the first words out of the boy since Robin had returned from work. Lucina and Robin smiled at the love the twins shared for Morgan, and rightfully so, as Morgan was a tremendous help in raising them the past two years.

"Even Daddy?" Robin asked his young son. Without any hesitation, the boy nodded vigorously.

"Well she seems to have quite the fan club. Though I doubt she could beat her father" Robin boasted, a hand placed over his heart. He lowered Megan to the ground, though she quickly wrapped her arms and legs around his right leg, acting as a shackle. Robin fell to the ground, acting like Megan had taken down a giant. Megan and Marth squealed in delight and laughter and proceeded to jump onto Robin's chest, pinning him to the floor.

"We be just wike sissy!" the twins yelled in triumph.

"Yes, you two are very heavy just like your sister" Robin struggled to speak under their weight on his chest. This only caused the tikes to get mischievous grins as they started jumping on him, causing his breath to start shooting out in bursts.

Lucina simply laughed at the scene in front of her. Finally, her family was all together. Morgan was currently in her room packing, getting prepared to leave to find a home with Yarne. There was only another week left where her family would be together every day, so Lucina always hoped Robin would hurry home to give them all as much time as possible. Lucina let out a sigh and went to join her husband on the ground, laying on her back and quickly intertwining her fingers in his. The two laid there, watching the two tikes conquer their father, not having a single care in the world, with nothing but big smiled plastering their faces.

* * *

**A/N: Guess who is back! Finals are over and summer is here, so get ready for more TRTL as well the beginning to The Beginning of Life, coming after I get through The Future Past Arc, which will directly follow the Pregnancy Arc (which still has 1-2 more chapters, I'm not letting the chance for good family fluff get away from me). Please imagine this chapter came directly following the last one, as this would have fallen on Morgan's birthday! Honestly I probably could have gotten this chapter up yesterday, but I started watching Dusk Maiden of Amnesia. You should watch it, it only has 12 episodes (and 1 epilogue episode) and doesn't seem to get much attention. There is plenty of fluffy romance to be had in it. Here is hoping the chapter was worth the wait! Don't worry, the Morgan first date chapter is still happening, I just plan to do it slightly differently, but it will either be next chapter or the one after! Now onto answering reviews!**

**Antex-Don't forget about baby Marc being here as well! Hope the chapter lived up to the hype!**

**StrikingZebra- The Future Past (after getting quite a few requests for it) will be coming shortly, so stay tuned! As for Robin's birthday, I could see it being a chapter but I probably won't be doing it for a good amount of time!**

**Jammy- You bet he is in this story! Thank you for letting me know what you think, I'd be honored if you used some stuff from this story!**

**WhiteAxolotl- I appreciate it, although I would definitely say there are far better RobinxLucina fics out there! I'm glad I can get you to crack a smile though!**

**Anyways, please keep on leaving reviews as it is my life's blood! Also, yay for a few milestones! 20,000 views! 30 reviews! 60 favorites! All of you are awesome! Until next time,**

**-Austin**


	15. Family

**Chapter 15: Family**

The sun shone down onto the house on the hill. Everything was quiet, as if it were a painting, nothing moving. Robin slowly began to open his eyes as the rays of sunlight crept onto his face. He pushed back his hair, which had begun to grow long now that he was always busy at work again. Normally, a quiet morning would be a happy morning for him, however he had learned that the twins always woke up before him, so something was off. Normally he was woken up by Marth or Megan jumping on him, or by hearing the crashing of pots on the floor below. Robin anxiously slid out of bed, careful not to wake up Lucina, who's hair was in a mess and had drool dried to her cheek. Robin smiled at the sight of this, but decided to move on and find out why the house wasn't in danger of being destroyed.

He walked down the stairs, beginning to hear hushed voices coming from the area near the front door. He angled his head to see, but could only make out Marth and Megan sitting on the ground talking to some unidentified person. Unidentified until he heard the whimpering, that is. Robin let out his breath as he realized who it was. Sure enough, once he got to the bottom of the stairs he could see Morgan tugging on Yarne's ears and the poor taguel lying on the ground, cowering at the pain his new wife was putting him through. Well, he would be poor if he hadn't stolen Morgan away from Robin. That only made Robin angry whenever he saw Yarne. He only controlled himself because the wrath of Lucina was something to be scared of, and due to this Robin began to understand how Chrom felt.

Marth turned from laughing at Morgan to see his father standing at the bottom of the stairs and immediately began to run to Robin, arms stretched out to be picked up. Robin heaved his son up to his shoulder, confused what all was going on.

"Hey dad! I thought I'd come by to visit for the day! I know I've only been gone a week, but I missed you all! Especially Megan and Marth" Morgan said with her characteristic grin spread across her face. Megan squealed and climbed onto Yarne's back with Morgan to give her older self a hug.

"Hey sissy?" Megan looked at Morgan with big brown eyes full of wonder.

"Yes Megan?"

"How did you meet Mr. Yarne?" Morgan laughed at Megan's question and Robin's facial expression, who clearly did not enjoy remembering Morgan's dating life. Morgan put a hand to her chin as if she were thinking long and hard.

"Well, it was a little bit after you were born…." She began.

* * *

"Morgan are you all ready for tonight?" Lucina called from the kitchen. Morgan was in her room fussing with her hair, making sure every strand was perfect even though it was doomed to become a mess the second she stepped outside into the wind. She was wearing one of Lucina's blue dresses to match her hair, along with a brown bow in her hair that accented her eyes. It may not have been the most conventional color combination, but it caused all of Morgan's qualities to shine. Even Robin had to admit he was impressed at this, in part because he had always been afraid Morgan would inherit her mother's dressing habits. Robin was currently sitting in a chair that he had pulled up to face the front door, an iron sword draped across his lap and an elthunder tome in his left hand. He was anxiously shaking his leg, whether it was because he wanted Yarne to get here already so the date could end as soon as possible or because he was hoping the taguel never showed up, nobody knew.

Lucina had given up on calming him down for the moment and was playing with the newborns, laughter ringing through the house. Morgan straightened out her dress and stepped out into the hallway of the first floor, where she could see both her parents. Her father's response was to give a grunt and tighten his grip on his two weapons while her mother rolled her eyes and walked over to give Morgan a huge hug.

"You look beautiful, dear. Yarne sure is a lucky guy to get a date with you, though it seems he will have to go through your father first" Lucina chuckled as she stared at her husband's back. A knocking at the door seemed to bring the tension to an all-time high as Robin leaned forward in his chair, waiting for Morgan to open the door. The second she opened it, Yarne's eyes flew wide open, in part at surprise for Morgan's beauty and in part for the fear of death he felt at seeing Robin.

"H-h-h-h-hello R-r-robin" Yarne stammered out, which only caused Robin to frown more and open his tome. Lucky for Yarne, Lucina delivered a swift smack to the back of her husband's head, which seemed to snap him out of his blood thirst.

"Yarne. She will be back in three hours. And if I get any hint of any funny business, I'll inform Chrom that it is rabbit season" Robin spoke with a slight disgust in his voice, his face never showing emotion. Lucina began to giggle next to him.

"Robin, if you went to Chrom for help with your daughter's dating life, he would probably just start laughing at you. After all, you _were_ the one in Yarne's position not too long ago" she said with a smile on her face, obviously trying to calm down her husband.

"It's been….seven years" Robin counted off on his hands, "I'm sure he had calmed down enough by now. Besides, since he knows it's all the more reason for him to help me" He seemed sure in his plan.

"You know how stubborn he can be. Though if you want to try I guess it is your choice. Please just be safe you two" Lucina shrugged as she walked back to watch over Megan and Marth. Morgan grabbed onto Yarne's hand and pulled him out the door before her parents could say anything more. Their date for the night consisted of heading to Ylisstol for dinner in the market festival followed by a walk around the castle grounds and Morgan was anxious to get started.

"How long until you're ready?" Robin turned to face his wife as he put the sword into its sheath on his waist and put the tome in his coat.

"About five minutes, we don't want them to know we are following right away" Lucina said as she went over to open the closet door to reveal Lissa inside.

"Thank you again for babysitting tonight" She said to her aunt. Lissa gave a big smile.

"Of course I'd come visit these cuties! But are you sure you two want to follow them around?"

"Yes, I want to make sure Yarne wouldn't pull any fast ones on me. We had a deal last week where I allowed him to live, but he can't touch anything but my daughter's hand for the first three dates" Robin's face was once again filled with rage at the thought of Morgan's date.

"And I need to be there both to protect Morgan and to keep Robin from any…unnecessary murders" Lucina smiled as she walked over and wrapped her arms around Robin. Lissa laughed at the two.

"You two sure are funny how much you are like Chrom and Sumia. I remember when they followed-" Lissa slapped her hand to her mouth. "Whoops." Lucina looked up to Robin in confusion, though h shared her same expression.

"Chrom followed us on our first date? But that means he saw…" Robin's face suddenly went pale along with Lucina's, while Lissa only laughed.

"Yep, he saw all the groping that went on! You should have seen his face! It took Sumia reminding him how they were when they started dating to calm him down enough not to kill you!" Lissa seemed delighted in relaying this information to them.

"And I thought Father didn't talk to Robin for two weeks just because of the fact that we were dating…" Lucina mumbled to herself.

"Nope! Well you two should get going if you are doing this, after all Yarne can run pretty quick!" Lissa turned and started cooing at the two babies on the floor while Lucina followed Robin out the door.

"You don't think Father actually saw…"

"I'd really rather not think about it right now" Robin pinched his nose as he grimaced in embarrassment.

* * *

"Yarne I'm coooooooooooooold" Morgan whined as she moved to press herself closer to her date while they walked to Ylisstol. To her annoyance, each time she tried to rub against him he would jump away and insist they could only hold hands.

"I-I'm sorry Morgan, I wish I could help but your dad said he'd kill me if-"

"Yaaaaarne, my father isn't here!" Morgan looked at Yarne with the same puppy dog eyes she used to get what she wanted out of her parents. Yarne tried to just look at the horizon and not pay attention to the beautiful girl nuzzling at his arm.

"A-are you sure? I don't want to go extinct…"

"Yarne, if my dad is here I will handle him. Now warm up your girlfriend! And let me play with your ears!" Morgan was smiling again as Yarne finally wrapped an arm around her, allowing the warmth of his fur to transfer to her. He sighed as she started playing with his ears, a thing he found he had no chance of stopping. The walked for a while, with Yarne occasionally glancing behind him since he kept feeling eyes staring at him.

* * *

"I'm gonna kill him. We will be having rabbit stew the next few nights, and I will be the one to kill him" Robin was speaking frantically as he readied his elthunder tome in one hand, his other one draped over Lucina to keep her warm.

"C'mon Robin, it is cold out. I bet Morgan was begging for warmth. Wouldn't you rather have your daughter not catch a cold?" Lucina poked at Robin's ribs, knowing where he was ticklish.

"I'd rather not have some boy all over her" Robin responded coldly. The two were hiding behind a rock, the moonlight allowing them to see the young couple in front of them. They only moved when the two were out of eyesight.

"Robin isn't it beautiful out here?" Lucina asked as she looked at the field bathed in moonlight, the various colors of flowers producing a mystical effect.

"Huh? Oh, yeah it is nice out here. Of course, none of this holds a candle to my wife" Robin smirked and leaned down to give Lucina a long kiss, finally breaking off and moving to follow Morgan again when his wife reached out and grabbed his arm. When he turned back, she was giving him the same puppy dog eyes Morgan frequently used.

"Isn't there something else you would rather be doing than following those two? At least for now?" Lucina said in a quiet seductive voice, adding a wink to the end. Robin's face started to heat up and turn a light red.

"Here? But…but we are out in the open?" Robin stammered but Lucina brought a finger up to his lips to hush him. She leaned in closer to his chest and rested her head against him.

"Think about it. When is the next time we will have some time to ourselves now that the kids are born? I'd say we have to take every chance" After a few moments of silence, Robin sighed and relaxed a little.

"You really know how to work me, don't you? Alright, but we have to rush to catch back up to-" Robin didn't finish his sentence before Lucina had leapt onto him and pushed him down onto his back, obviously anxious to resume their time together.

* * *

A loud howl filled the nighttime air that caused Morgan and Yarne to stop and turn around. Yarne wore a look of confusion while Morgan's face instantly turned red, both in embarrassment and anger.

"What…what was that? Wolves? Are we going to die? I can't die!" Yarne started stammering to himself.

"No….I know that noise all too well….but….why here…why…just why? Yarne let's go and quick!" Morgan tried to pull the taguel into a run, which he reluctantly allowed.

"Morgan? How do you know what that was? And what was it?" Yarne was still confused as Morgan pulled him faster down the road.

"Let's…..let's just say my parents frequently thought I was asleep when I wasn't…" Morgan managed to choke out as she pressed on down the road. The realization hit Yarne hard as they ran, his face reddening deeply as they ran.

"You…you mean that was…?"

"Yes. They can be pretty loud. Look I can see the market! Hurry up, I need a lot of alcohol to get this out of my mind!" Morgan looked slightly disgusted as she ran into the market, grabbing any and all samples of wine she could get.

* * *

"Robin, I'm pretty sure they heard you" Lucina said as she got dressed. Robin's face was red as he wrapped his coat back around his shoulders.

"Yeah…I probably should stop doing that" Robin stammered. Lucina leaned down and gave him a quick kiss.

"Please don't, I find it rather cute. I may even need a repeat performance on the way back" Lucina smiled that devilish grin that got to Robin every time.

"That can be arranged. Now let's hurry and catch back up!" Robin jumped up onto his feet and started jogging down the path, Lucina close behind.

* * *

"Wait….if they were that close…you don't think they saw me hugging you do you?" Yarne went pale for the fifth time that night (a surprisingly low amount for him) while Morgan shook her head.

"Yarne, I really don't think it matters at this point. Do you know how much blackmail I have at this point? I'm sure my father would do anything to make sure the story of my first date didn't get back to Grandpa" Morgan quickly wrote a note down in a small journal that she produced from her small purse.

"It's a blackmail notebook for everyone in the Shepherds. And it is starting to get full" Morgan said absent mindedly when she noticed Yarne's face. The taguel simply nodded, starting to realize that he should never get on his date's bad side. Snapping the journal closed, Morgan smiled up at Yarne from across the table.

"Thank you for taking me here! I heard that they serve this dish of noodles covered in some strange red sauce! Apparently it is awesome" Morgan had a look of delight burning in her eyes.

"N-no problem Morgan. I'm just glad to finally be alone with you again. It sure has been a while since we got to hang out just by ourselves" Yarne played with his silverware, resuming his normal nervous nature as he spoke.

"Bunny, don't be silly! It had only been a week! But I know what you mean, it sure has felt like a while" Morgan smiled and reached out to hold onto Yarne's hand. The couple drowned out the world and enjoyed their dinner that soon came, laughing at each other's jokes and enjoying their company. It was as if nothing had happened and everything was alright in the world. After dinner, they walked in a comfortable silence as Morgan leaned up against Yarne's chest, both of them enjoying how the torches' light danced off the nighttime landscape around Ylisstol's castle. They didn't even mind Morgan's parents, who were doing an awful job keeping themselves hidden as they followed behind them. After a few rounds around the castle, they took the path back to Morgan's house, arriving in about thirty minutes.

"Thank you Yarne. I had a great time" Morgan smiled up to her boyfriend, who nervously scratched behind his ears.

"It was nothing Morgan. I had a great time too. I'll see you at the same time tomorrow?" Yarne asked nervously. Morgan let out a laugh and pulled him into a hug.

"You already are assuming we are on for a second date? I have a feeling this will be a beautiful relationship" Morgan laughed into Yarne's fur. Before he could say anything, Morgan suddenly reached an arm up and grabbed onto one of his ears. In a swift motion, she pulled his head down and planted her lips against his, not breaking off for a few minutes, even when they heard the crash of Robin fainting behind them.

"I will see you tomorrow, Yarne. And Mother, please keep Father from chasing after Yarne. I would _hate_ for Grandpa to have to hear about that sound we heard tonight" Morgan said mischievously before turning around and entering her house, leaving an unconscious Robin, a red faced Lucina, and a shaking Yarne outside.

* * *

"And that is how I met Mr. Yarne" Morgan smiled at her younger self, who's eyes were full of amazement at Morgan's perfect first date. The story she had told had, of course, not included any of the things about her parents. She was much more intelligent than to tell such things in a story to a two year old.

"Woooow sissy has the best husband ever! I wanna pway with his ears!" Megan squealed as she grabbed onto Yarne's ears. At this point, it didn't even bother the taguel anymore, as he had grown used to receiving the same treatment from his wife. He assumed correctly that her younger self would be no different. He simply laid down and waited for Megan to grow bored, no matter how long it took. At this point, Lucina made her way down the stairs, yawning and trying to rub the sleep from her eyes while wearing a smile upon seeing her oldest daughter.

"Morgan, how nice to see you. Why don't you all come into the kitchen and I will make everyone some breakfast" Lucina smiled and began to search around the kitchen for her necessary utensils. Megan jumped off Yarne and ran to meet with her mother, acting as if she had not seen her in years. Morgan stood and walked towards the kitchen as well until Robin grabbed her arm.

"Thanks for not telling Megan about the…you know…" Robin's face was slightly red as he whispered in his daughter's ear. Morgan smiled at her father as she always did.

"Don't worry, Dad. I learned from you never to play all your cards at once! Why tell her now when I can wait until you have something I want" Morgan laughed as she went to join her mother, leaving a pale faced Robin in her wake. Yarne simply sighed as he stood up, knowing very well how Robin was feeling. Morgan often used the same blackmail tricks on him. Robin finally snapped out of it and gave Yarne a quick glare before turning and marching after Morgan.

"Hey! You can't get away with this that easy!" Robin's words were met with laughter from all the girls in the kitchen, who gave him a look that told him they all knew Morgan could and would get away with it.

* * *

**A/N: This was fun to write. At least, it was when I got to Morgan's date. I know I kind of focused more on Robin and Lucina, but their part was much more interesting. Anyways, I think next chapter I will be jumping into the Future Past Arc (3-4 chapters), then from there I will need prompts for arcs/one shots. I think I will accept 3 arcs and 2 one-shots, then I will bring this story to a close around Chapter 30. So send in your suggestions, please! Also if anybody likes AoT, I started a new fic about it so check that story out! Answering reviews time!**

**Guest-Maybe, though I am not really planning on it. Maybe I can do it as a one-shot story (I've already done an arc on Lucina's pregnancy). As for ages, the majority of the original timeline shepherds are 27, Lucina is 25, the rest of the future timeline Shepherds are around 24, and Morgan is 23. Marth and Megan are both 2.**

**Antex- Thank you again! For the Future Past I am just planning to do a retelling, but not use any of the game dialogue. I have learned that rereading the game's dialogue is boring from reading other fics. At some point I may even do a rewrite of this story's first chapter to get rid of the game dialogue. **

**Jammy- In Megan and Marth's eyes, Morgan could beat even Galactus. So there is that.**

**Sean- Nope! This story is only about halfway through!**

**Thank you for all of the continued support! I hope you all will continue to leave reviews as seeing new reviews is the best part of my day! Have a great day and I will see you next time,**

**-Austin**


	16. Future Past Part I

**Chapter 16: Future Past Part I**

Robin stretched as he looked out the window. Things had been calm in Ylisse ever since his return. He smiled as he glanced around the room. His wife was asleep, a trickle of drool dried to her cheek and her hair in a mess. Yet, this sight caused his heart to leap. Part of the reason that he put in so much effort in the wars before he disappeared was that he wanted to win a world where Lucina didn't have to be worried anymore. A world where she found true happiness and peace. Well, maybe it was more than just part of the reason. It was more like most of the reason, if not his only real reason. His mind corrected this to most again as he glanced at the two sleeping figures between him and his wife. Marth and Megan were tucked away, sleeping soundly. Ever since Morgan had joined them, Robin knew he had to put forth his best efforts for them as well. Ultimately, as Robin found himself deciding, it was family that was his reason for the countless hours he put into his work as a tactician. It was his burning desire to save his family. A family that he originally was not supposed to have, according to Lucina. And yet here they were.

He crept out of the room and began the descent down the stairs. He had gotten the day off from work and was planning to make this day special for his family. It was rare to wake up before the twins, and he guessed that the reason he did today was because they were too comfortable between their mother and father (they were often not allowed to share a bed with them). Robin recalled the thunderstorm the night before that had sent the toddlers screaming into their parents' bedroom, and after five minutes of unsuccessfully trying to calm them, he allowed them to spend the night. A smile came to his lips at the memory. Surely, the greatest thing that winning all those wars had brought to him was the chance to savor in these memories. And a chance for Lucina to smile more than she had before. Chuckling for some unknown reason, Robin turned to the stove top and made a quick fire with his magic.

He placed a pan on the stove top and set about to find grains and potatoes in order to make a simple meal of oatmeal and shredded baked potatoes for the family. Soon enough, the smell of food filled the house and the rest of the inhabitants sleepily made their way down the stairs. The twins lacked their usual energy and seemed to only find the way to their miniature table and stools that Robin had gotten from Anna by sheer muscle memory. Lucina leaned against the counter propping her chin onto her palm, her eyes half open and a soft smile on her lips while she watched the love of her life cooking breakfast in an apron. It was a sight she loved, and at that moment she couldn't resist herself. She walked slowly to approach him from behind. She could smell the light aroma that his white hair always had, a scent that brought her a comforting feeling in her gut. She brought her arms to go under his, to wrap around his chest and hang onto him and place her chin on his shoulder. She made to tighten her arms and squeeze him, but her arms found nothing but air. She felt herself fall forward off balanced, unsure where her pillar of support had gone. She saw the pans on the stove in front of her, but glancing around she saw no sign of the man in the apron that she was about to embrace. Her eyes widened in horror as she felt a fear reborn in the back of her mind. A fear she had not felt for many years. A fear that had already come true once. The words she heard only stood to confirm that the fear had come true a second time.

"Mommy, where's Daddy?"

Lucina collapsed onto her knees, tears bursting from her eyes. She had lost her husband a second time, this time to some unknown force. Surely, fate was cruel.

* * *

"Ugghhh…." Robin felt a strong headache and could feel his breath slightly taken away. The room was dimly lit, a fact he didn't remember about the kitchen a few seconds ago. He was lying on top of somebody, and making out the blue hair he figured who it was.

"Lucina….c'mon not in front of the kids. You sure have been feisty lately…" Robin whispered in a slightly seductive voice before leaning to kiss his wife on the cheek. A hand reached up and caught his face before he could, however, holding him at bay. He was confused until his "wife" spoke.

"Robin, it is going to take every ounce of strength to control myself. Every instinct in me is telling me to geld you. Now get the hell off of me. And take off that stupid apron." Chrom muttered with spite as he pushed Robin off of him with all his might. Robin blanched as he realized who he was just trying to seduce.

"NAGA DAMN IT CHROM! Is this one of Sumia's tricks again!? Where did Lucina go!? What is happening?" Robin pulled off his apron and gripped the roots of his hair, struggling to take in everything that just occurred. He had last remembered Lucina about to embrace him from behind, then found himself on the floor on top of his Father-in-Law and best friend, then tried to seduce said best friend. It was too much for him to process, to say the least.

"Awakener and Fell Blood, welcome to my chambers" A heavenly voice rang out through the empty chamber the two men were in. Chrom immediately pulled himself to one knee and bowed his head, while the tactician began to stand up and rub his temples, irritated at the situation.

"Wow, I can be serious this time. For real, Naga, damn it. Are you working with Sumia now? How many times do we have to tell her that she just has a knack for walking in at the worst times?" Robin muttered. Chrom glared at him for being so disrespectful to the goddess, but a rich laughter filled the hallways that softened his glare. He forgot sometimes that Naga could very much be like one of the Shepherds, much as Lady Tiki was.

"I don't know, Fell Blood. I seem to remember you having certain thoughts about the Future Awakener while she was still in male clothing" Naga's rich voice rang out as her apparitional form appeared before them. She glowed with a soft green light that illuminated the empty room. Robin let out a groan and shook his head.

"I'm never going to live that one down, am I? For once I think my friends might actually help me figure out what is happening with me but the second we find out she was a girl, I never hear an end to it" Chrom slowly stood up as he realized the friendly atmosphere that Naga brought, no longer feeling the need to worship her as he was doing.

"Anyways, why have you called us here?" Chrom asked in place of Robin, who was still ranting to himself about how he always gets put in the worst situations.

"I have found an Outrealm that exhibits similar auras as the ones surrounding the Risen and the Future Awakener when they exited the portal that my future self created. It seems that there is another world where Grima was reborn and he is wiping out each remaining member of my blood. It is very grim. If left untouched, every one of them will die, and there is no chance to send them back. As it stands, they are finishing the gathering of the jewels for the awakening, but will all meet their end before returning to the Exalt of that time. In time, the Exalt herself will die as well." Naga's last words echoed in Robin and Chrom's ears. It didn't take a genius to figure out who this Exalt was. Robin dropped down to a knee, tears forming in his eyes as he thought about losing her.

"_She isn't even the same Lucina as mine….but….I won't stand to lose any version of her…"_ Robin mentally declared before punching the ground as hard as he could. His body shook in grief as he imagined losing his wife, and shook harder when he finally understood what she had gone through during the three years he was gone. He looked up from the floor and used all his will power to keep his tears from falling. Tears wouldn't change a thing, and he knew it.

"What do we have to do?" Robin asked bluntly, emotion taking over his voice as rage consumed him.

"Gather up twelve other members and I will send you on your first mission to recover Gules and Azure, as well as attempt to save the four children there" Naga spoke again before Robin could, as she could see the question he was going to ask mixed with the emotion on his face. "The one you wish to save the most is not among them. You will save her last, after all of the gemstones are recovered. She will not perish before you can get to her, so worry not, Fell Blood." Robin turned to Chrom, a long lost determination glistening in their eyes.

"How long do we have to prepare?" Chrom asked.

"You have one hour to decide who to bring with you, then I will take you all to the outrealm. Do not worry, the ones you do not take will be informed by Tiki of your whereabouts, that way panic does not spread."

"Hmm…" Robin was lost in thought as he went through a mental roster of the Shepherds, trying to strike down any obvious ones quickly.

"I don't want to bring any of the future children into this mess, they have seen enough hell as it is. So it will just be the original Shepherds for this one." Robin sunk down to a sitting position and placed his thumb and index finger on his chin, a habit he had whenever deep in thought.

"Very well. I will leave you to decide on who to bring. I will return in one hour, then bring forth who you decide. Also, I am not sure if this is of importance or not, but I believe it is worth mentioning" Naga called out to them as she began to fade away. Robin and Chrom perked their heads up to her, interested in what the goddess could be speaking about.

"There is one among the enemy that does not belong. One that should not exist in that world. I do not know how to explain it better, it is confusing to me as well. The most I can say with my knowledge is I sensed an aura coming from the outrealm that matched that of the Fell Blood and Future Awakener's child." Naga completely vanished as she ended her statement, leaving to seek out Lady Tiki.

"My….child? Wait….could it be….is Marth…" Robin's eyes grew wide as he realized he may be on track to finding the boy he had been searching for in his spare time.

* * *

Robin and Chrom had finished their arguments in the fashion of a court style debate, complete with them yelling "objection" multiple times at each other, bickering about who would be best to take with them. Robin argued from a tactical perspective based on fighting styles while Chrom approached it with emotions in mind. If they brought along the parents of the four children trapped where they were going, it was no doubt that they would fight with unmatched ferocity. Unfortunately, it didn't seem that Naga knew exactly which four children were going to be there. After the long debate, they finally came into an agreement about who to bring with them on their journey. In reality, the one thing they did agree on was not to bring any of the children. Every other decision came with concessions to the other person. They sat on the ground with their backs against opposite walls, facing each other and waiting out the time until the goddess returned. Ever since their rather…intimate moment, they kept as much distance from each other as they could. About another ten minutes ticked by in the overwhelming silence before a familiar green light appeared and Naga's apparition took form again. Her eyes glanced wearily at the tactician.

"What? Is something wrong?" Robin spoke up as he noticed the goddess' look. Naga looked back to Chrom before speaking.

"Tiki had some….difficulties in telling the Future Awakener where you were. She seemed to be mixed in fits of relief, sadness and rage. When we told her that you had already decided she could not come, it took all of my power just to get Tiki away from her before she was attacked" Naga spoke solemnly. Robin found a nervous smile making its way to his face as he scratched the back of his head.

"Well…that's Lucina for you. Always the first one to throw a punch" He laughed awkwardly after saying this, knowing the hell that was to come when he returned. Last time he was slapped because he tried to make a grand entrance upon his return to Ylisse. This time he would be slaughtered because he wasn't allowing her to come on their mission. Chrom shook his head at his daughter's antics.

"She can be quite a handful sometimes. Shall we get on with our decisions?" Chrom asked as he slowly stood up off the ground, stretching to get the kinks out of his back from sitting uncomfortably. Naga nodded her head and prepared to transport each member to the corridor as their names were spoken. Robin and Chrom switched off on what names were called, Chrom calling out the first one with a lot of happiness, since it was the one hardest to convince Robin to allow, since this particular person may or may not get a lot of joy from hearing about the situation the tactician and the Exalt had found themselves in an hour ago.

"Sumia"

"Gregor"

"Nowi"

"Tharja"

"Henry"

"Vaike"

"Cherche"

"Lissa"

"Lon'qu"

"Frederick"

"Stahl"

"Sully"

Each member they had called had appeared before them, all dazed and confused about what was happening. Luckily, none of them ended up in the same situation as Robin and Chrom had, and many quickly overcame their confusion and feelings of unease as they found they spouses among the group. Sumia rushed towards Chrom, always happy to see him, and Frederick followed suit since Cordelia was not there. After allowing everyone to settle down, Robin loudly cleared his throat.

"Hello again, everybody. Welcome back to the temporarily reassembled Shepherds. I know we are all a bit old" Robin made sure to stare at Gregor when he said that, "and a bit out of shape. But an urgent issue has just come up that only we can fix. I am afraid to say that we will be attending to a situation direr than the one we faced against Grima. We will be heading into an outrealm where we have once again failed and there is not a chance for the children to be sent back in time. It is a world that has all but ended. A world where we will see familiar faces and attempt to rescue them from the clutches of death. I understand emotions will run high, as there is a chance you will see your own children about to die, but please, stick to our orders and we may make it out of this alright." Robin stopped after he was sure his message about following orders had gotten across and turned to Chrom to finish their briefing session.

"We will be entering enemy territory with no knowledge of the battlefield or its combatants. We will not know who we will find or the strength of our opponents. Be prepared for anything. This is a world where Grima was revived and allowed to flourish, so this may be one of our toughest battles yet. I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me. The day in this world has come where the courage of men failed, where the blood of Naga was forsaken and the bonds of the Shepherds were broken. But we will bring new courage. An hour of wolves and shattered shields may have happened in the past, but today, we turn back the wolves and raise new shields in their stead!" Chrom began to roar as he walked up and down the line of the Shepherds standing in salute, each time he finished a sentence they would give there "oomph" of war cry, emotions running high among them.

"This day we fight! By all that you hold dear, for the blood of our children in this world and the next, we will bring victory and hope! I bid you stand, good Shepherds of Ylisse! The day is not won until we herd the wolves away!"

With one final yell from the Shepherds, Naga waved her hand and an enchanted light spread around them, whisking them away to the far away world where they would bring new hope and light. Naga smiled a rare smile at the words of hope the Exalt had brought.

"I wish you luck, children of mine. And to you as well, Fell Blood."

* * *

**A/N: Hey there, everybody. Sorry that this took so long. I could say that I was busy or something but I'll give the truth. I watched Clannad and After-Story and they brought out some….I dunno how to phrase it. Inner demons I guess? Anyways, it took a bit to get over that emotion and I found myself not wanting to write much. So I stared at a blank computer screen a few times and just didn't write. Then a lot of story updates started coming out, so I read them, and I found my interest in Robin and Lucina building back up. Then I realized that by not updating, I am letting all of you down, which came about when I saw many unfinished and abandoned stories on this site. I don't want to do that to you, because I truly care for each one of my readers. I will try my hardest to get another chapter out this week, maybe even 2. Next chapter will be my very first attempt at a battle scene so we will see how that goes. Also-if you are ever curious on how close I am to posting a chapter, check my profile. I will be updating frequently on the status of the next chapter, that way I am not just leaving you all out to dry. Anyways, be sure to leave a review, they make my day and let me know what you like/dislike/want to see and I can adjust for future chapters. Answering review time!**

**Jammy- about 30 chapters of story followed by 2 ending sequences, the first one will be the happily ever after ending. The second will be a continuation up to a certain point of the first and will be much more the way I want to end the story. That is all I will say about that.**

**Antex- Thank you again for your continued support. Hopefully this chapter lives up to the hype you give me.**

**Vegito-I guess you are right, plus many heroines share similar qualities so it isn't too much of a comparison.**

**Have a great day and until next time,**

**Austin**


	17. Future Past Part II

**Chapter 17: Future Past Part II**

The Shepherds reappeared in a dark room. They were cramped inside, unable to form any sort of proper battle formation. There were two perpendicular hallways connected to the room they were in, indicating they were in a corner of the building. Both hallways were full of Risen. Mixed in with the sounds of deathly breathing that the Risen gave off were soft spoken words, none of which could be deciphered in the already noisy air.

"Chrom, do you hear those voices?" Robin asked with a growing concern. The Exalt simply nodded, his face growing pale. They both knew the tone in those voices. They had heard it many times in their experience as soldiers. It was a sad tone that seemed to express goodbyes. A tone that only came once in a person's life. _Hopelessness. The tone of voice you take when you are certain you are about to die. The tone you use when you tell your loved ones what they mean to you for the last time._

"This is bad, Robin. We have to move quickly. It seemed Naga didn't send us here until the last minute" Chrom tightened his grip and waited a few seconds while Robin scavenged a plan in his head.

"Right. The voices are coming from both hallways so the girls must have been split up. From the looks of the ends of the halls, this is a square building so we should be able to meet up in the opposite corner. We have to be careful because there are two halls that we can't see. There are many strong Risen here, many of which have longbows. I can only hope what waits for us in the next two hallways aren't as formidable, but my gut tells me we have yet to see their strongest. Let's go with arrowhead formation, two teams. I will spearhead one, Frederick the other. For my team; Gregor and Nowi will take second line, Lissa and Lon'qu will take third line, Tharja and Henry will take back line. For Frederick's group, Chrom and Sumia will form second line, Stahl and Sully will form third line, and Vaike and Cherche will form back line. Naga sent us here with broad shields but not enough for everyone, so Frederick's group will take the shields. When you see a bowman notch an arrow, immediately drop into armored shell formation. Tharja and Henry will provide a magical barrier for our group. Everybody understand?" Robin finished his speech on tactics and waited for the "hooah" that told him they all understood what to do. The two teams stepped into their respective halls and formed their arrowhead, making the upside-down V that birds form while migrating. Tharja and Henry immediately held up their hands and created a light green bubble around Robin's formation, which protected them from ranged attacks. Frederick's group had the burden of carrying large black shields that were around five feet in length, but when a bowman launched an attack they could drop to a knee and hold the shields out to block the attack.

"Alright men. For Ylisse! Charge!" Robin and Frederick yelled in unison. There was no room for mounts in this battle, so everybody was on foot. Both formations charged forward, the spearhead attempting to break enemy lines and then waterfall down the formation for attacks. Robin ran forward between two enemy generals, ducking at the last second to slide across the floor on his knees as the two spears grazed over his nose. Before the generals could ready their spears for another stab, Gregor slammed his sword through the weak point on one of the general's back, dark miasma pouring through the new hole before the Risen general disappeared, while Nowi transformed into her dragon state and bit the head off the other general. Lon'qu pulled twin blades and turned his attention to the enemies they had passed in the charge that were now surrounding a door and charged forward to take them by surprise. His blades cut effortlessly into the decaying skin of three Risen as he danced the ballet of swords, avoiding the enemy weapons while stabbing each through their dark heart. Each Risen burst into a dark cloud once Lon'qu was done. Lissa took up her throwing axes and chucked them at the other two Risen to their left flank. As Vaike had taught her, she spun each blade with enough force and accuracy that it buried itself deep into the cranium of her target. The Risen staggered a few steps, reaching their arms up for the new appendage seeming to jut out between their eyes before disappearing in clouds of smoke.

"Form up!" Robin called out to his group, who rushed back together to form the arrowhead.

"Status report" The tactician stated while looking forward at the plentiful bowman in front of them.

"All Risen in this segment down" Tharja called from the back.

"I believe one of the girls is through that door" Lon'qu responded, pointing to the door where the Risen he had killed were standing.

"Alright, second line break rank and go clear that room. We will clear out this next part, but return as soon as you can. Go!" Robin ordered before readying his elthunder tome to deal with the bowman. Arrows were bouncing helplessly off of their green barrier and they had not had any issues yet. Nowi and Gregor went to work breaking down the door while electricity sparked among Robin's fingers.

* * *

Sully and Stahl used their legs to push the Risen bodies off of their spears, then drove the points down straight through the monster's necks, breaking the spinal cords and sending black clouds into the air as the Risen disappeared. Years of fighting together caused their fighting styles to mirror each other and they worked with perfect unison. Frederick was using his own spear to push Risen off to the side so that Chrom and Sumia could hack away until each enemy was vanquished. Their group had met very little resistance down this hallway as Vaike and Cherche's throwing axes had thinned out enemy ranks easily. They gathered up their axes as they moved into the second hallway, which also proved to have few enemies other than some swordmasters and generals.

"Guess we got the easy group" Chrom stated to nobody in particular. They heard movement and a muffled voice coming from the room to their left.

"Sully, Stahl, go get the girl in that room. We can handle the rest." Frederick ordered as he readied himself to charge at the remaining Risen. These Risen had no true long ranged attack besides throwing spears, so they should be safe for now. So far everything had gone without a hitch, and they hoped their luck could continue.

"Form up! Ready! Charge!" Frederick yelled to urge their group forward, minus Stahl and Sully, who were busy using their spears to pry open the door.

* * *

"Gregor says hello" Gregor said calmly before smashing the two Risen's skulls together, the brute strength of the mercenary enough to crack both heads and spill out the black miasma. A few seconds later nothing remained of the Risen besides black clouds. In front of him was a shaking girl that bore a striking resemblance to his own daughter.

"Risen easy prey. No match to tough guy like Gregor" The older soldier smirked and turned back to give a thumbs up to his wife, who was watching the door in case there were other Risen lurking in the shadows. The room had only held two Risen who seemed to be toying with the girl, rather than giving her a quick death. The girl looked up at Gregor for a few seconds and then her eyes widened remarkably, traces of tears threatening to spill.

"Father!?" She cried. Gregor flinched at the words, aware that he had the chance of encountering another version of his daughter in this world. He hated to break the hope that was likely welling inside of her, but he knew he couldn't let her believe in a lie.

"No, Gregor is sorry but he is not the Gregor of your world. Gregor come from other world to help everyone, though he always has special place in heart for Nah" the mercenary placed his hand on the crying manakete's shoulder, hoping to cheer her up a little.

"But-but you look just like him! Surely you must be jesting with me!" Nah searched for anything on her father's face to tell her that he was joking, but couldn't find anything. The happiness that was in her due to believing her father alive was slowly crushed.

"Gregor might not be Nah's actual father, but he still loves you just the same. Gregor only wishes you looked at least a bit like him though" Gregor let out a sigh and looked at his feet.

"Even in Gregor's world, Nah only looks like mother. Poor Gregor sees no resemblance of himself. Oh well, now is not time for having the sadness. You must be strong and give gemstone to the little blue haired girl" Nah nodded her head slowly in agreement, knowing the true reason for her being here in the first place. She was at least a little thankful that Naga let her see her father one last time though. As she turned to leave, another voice froze her in place.

"Gregor quit talking already! Is the girl safe or what?" A childlike voice called out from behind Gregor. Nah peeked over the man's shoulder to see the dragon form of a manakete.

"It can't be….mother!?" Nah had her hope building up again, though in the back of her mind she knew it was likely that this Nowi was from the same world as Gregor.

"Oh heeeeey there. I'm not sure how to say this, Nah, but I'm-" Nowi started.

"Not really my mother…" Nah finished for her, looking at the ground dejectedly. Nowi ran up and embraced the girl quickly, taking her by surprise.

"You are right, but just because I'm not really her doesn't mean I don't love you or want to protect you. Listen, Nah. We may not be directly linked, but when I look at you I still see my daughter, and I will be damned if I let anything happen to you!" Nowi declared with a happy smile and tears running down her cheeks. Nah looked at her with amazement for a few seconds before smiling and letting her own tears fall.

"Oh mother! I know it isn't really you, but I never got a chance to tell her how much I loved her or hug her like this! I love you so much!" Nah cried into Nowi's shoulder. Gregor trembled while he watched from the side.

"Now Gregor is making with the crying!" the mercenary yelled before hugging both the girls and crying his own tears. They stood there in a comfortable silence except for some sniffling before deciding to rejoin the rest of the group outside. When they came out, they found that Robin had already dispatched the archers using lighting magic, as evident to the traces of electricity that still sparked from the ground where the bodies presumably were, and Lon'qu was on cleanup duty, handling the scarce Risen remaining. They rushed forward to rejoin formation. Robin raised an eyebrow at seeing Nah but did not express any surprise.

"Ah, so Nah was among them. Good, giver her one of your spare dragonstones so she can handle herself in case things go south" Nowi nodded before handing a smooth stone over to her outrealm daughter.

"It looks like there are no more archers ahead. Tharja, Henry, you have done a good job. It doesn't seem like there are too many Risen in the interior chambers, judging by how short it was for Gregor to get Nah. Break down that door and save whoever is inside, it shouldn't be too difficult and should allow you to recover from holding the barrier" Robin commanded again. The two mages happily dropped down the barrier spell and fell to their knees, panting as they had to hold the spell up for so long against so many attacks. After a few seconds of rest, Henry sent a simple fire spell at the door to get it burning.

"Leave it *pant* to us" Henry spoke with strained breath. The time it took for the door to burn enough to break down should be enough rest for them, Robin decided.

"Right. Looks like there are some more generals and axe men ahead, along with their commander. Let's form a line and march down the hall. Be wary of tomahawks. Feel free to duck to avoid them since there will no longer be anybody behind you. They quickly made the new formation and walked down the hall, ducking to avoid axes and approaching the enemy quickly.

* * *

"Hey kiddo" Sully stated to the girl the she and her husband had just saved. Kjelle raised her facemask to see clearly, certain her eyes were deceiving her.

"Mother!?" She cried out. Before Sully could correct her, Stahl stepped up from behind her to smile and wave.

"Father too!? But you died!" She yelled. Stahl dropped his smile and looked at the ground sulking.

"Is it really that hard to believe I could have lived?" Stahl cried out. Sully turned and punched his shoulder, an angry look on her face.

"Don't be giving the girl the wrong idea! Look, kid, we aren't exactly your parents. We were sent here from another world that we already saved to help you with this one" Kjelle grew saddened from hearing this but tried not to let her emotions show.

"Kjelle, we may not be your real parents, but we still love you like one of our own. We may not be able to stay here and make a big happy family, but at least we will get to fight next to our strong daughter. That enough will make anyone proud" Stahl smiled his signature easy going grin as he wrapped an arm around his outrealm daughter. Sully looked at the two briefly before hugging Kjelle as well.

"That's right kid. We love you like our own, and we will never let anything hurt you. I'm glad my other self taught you how to kick ass enough to be a survivor in these times. You truly are something else" Sully tightened her grip on the other two, causing Kjelle to smile and Stahl to struggle breathing.

"Thank you mother and father. You two were some of the best warriors I have ever known. It would be a great honor to fight alongside you!" Kjelle declared while beating a hand to her chest. She reached behind Stahl and drew one of his spare spears, ready for battle.

"Now let's go kick some Risen ass!" Sully and Kjelle cried out before running out of the room to rejoin Frederick. Stahl, left alone, let out a big sigh.

"Like mother like daughter, even in this world. I wonder if any kid will ever actually take after me?" He questioned out loud before walking to rejoin the rest of his group.

Frederick had made short work of the swordmasters, using his spear to keep a distance from their twin blades. As soon as they moved within range, he would use his vast amount of combat experience to shove the spear tip forward, faster than the eye could follow and faster than the Risen could block to pierce through their ribcage, puncture their hearts and kill them.

"Sumia, we will get this last room. Frederick hold position here until you can see Robin coming down the other hall. We will be quick" Chrom said, then proceeded to break a hole in the wall with Falchion.

"Chrom, you know there is a door, right?" Cherche asked as she tilted her head at the Exalt's actions.

"Too slow, gotta save people!" Chrom called out from the inside of the hole. They heard the noises of their leader slicing the heads off whatever Risen were inside.

"Alright everybody, hold position. This shouldn't take too long" Frederick stated in his monotone voice before taking a defensive stance.

* * *

"Nyahaha! That fire worked beautifully!" The sorcerer's voice caused the two Risen holding a girl hostage to turn their attention to the fiery hole that was the entrance to the room. Before they could move, bolts of dark magic pierced their skulls at the eye socket, causing them to stagger back before disappearing.

"Good shot!" Henry exclaimed gleefully. Tharja walked into the room with an annoyed look upon her face.

"It's nothing. Let's just get the girl and get out."

In front of them was a girl with white hair who was visibly shaking. Her two arms covered her body and she sat curled in the corner, frightened at what just happened.

"Stop shaking, Noire. We have Risen to kill" Tharja looked down at the shaking girl with displeasure.

"Oh it's Noire! How great! We can go kill some Risen together just like old times!" Henry's chipper demeanor contrasted heavily with his wife's, something that always caused the Shepherds to question how the two ever actually got together.

"Father….and…mother…? But…you are both dead? How are you two here! This must be some cruel illusion! Please, get out of my head!" Noire's voice was on the brink of breaking, her tears streaming down her face as she looked at mirror images of her dead parents. Dead parents that sacrificed themselves to save her.

"Cheer up Noire! We are no illusion! We just come from a different world" Henry spoke as if this was completely normal. Tharja shook her head.

"We were sent here to save all of you. We are not your real parents. I'm sorry if we led you to believe that we were in any way"

"You are lying! This is a trick!" Noire refused to believe what was in front of her.

"Oh c'mon! Let's get over this and go play in some Risen blood. Ooooo we can make a sandcastle and use the blood for the moat!" Henry began to get lost in his twisted daydreams, leaving Tharja to be the sensible one.

"I don't think anybody could make a trick as accurate as that. Few people know how…quirky your father can be. Now get up, Noire. We may not actually be your parents, but we still want to see you be strong. I bet if we kill some of these monsters it will make you feel better. We already have Nah with us, if you still don't trust us you can ask her" Tharja turned to leave before she felt a tug at her cloak. She turned to find Noire grasping onto her.

"I-I'm sorry….I believe you. I just was hoping maybe my parents came back to save me. But I was too scared of being hurt to truly believe it…I will go with you" Noire firmly stated, looking up to her parents with teary eyes. Tharja grinned at the sight.

"Very good. Come on Henry, we need to get back to the group!" Tharja yelled loudly to snap Henry out of his daze.

"And then we can use it as syrup! I bet it has a strange sweetness to it. Maybe we could paint our living room with it! That would give it a nice—oh, sorry Tharja! I guess I got caught up in my thoughts again. Risen, here comes the power family!" Henry let out a maniacal laugh before running out the door to catch up with Robin.

"You were right. It would be hard to impersonate him" Noire and Tharja smiled softly at their crazy Henry.

* * *

"Hey there, no need to be afraid anymore" Chrom reached out his hand to rub the familiar mop of blue hair in front of him. Cynthia looked up and saw her father and burst out in a smile.

"Father!" She yelled before tripping and falling onto him, tackling him to the floor. She giggled before confusion set in about how her father was here.

"Ugh….well at least you recognized me this time. That is always a good sign" Chrom sighed as he patted his daughter's back.

"This time? What do you mean this time?" Cynthia asked as she began to draw back from him. At that moment Sumia walked through the door and smiled at the sight before her.

"Well isn't this a touching sight?"

"Mother too!? How are you two here? You two died heroic deaths!" Cynthia looked flabbergasted. Chrom scratched his head, thinking of a way to explain.

"You see, we aren't really your parents. I'm sorry to disappoint you, but we came from a different world entirely" Chrom started to say before seeing Cynthia's sad expression. Luckily he knew had to appeal to his youngest daughter.

"You could say we were destined heroes sent here from another time to save out daughter" Chrom spoke with his regal voice, putting emphasis on heroes. Cynthia immediately perked up.

"Really!? You two have always been heroes to me! Whether or not you are my real parents doesn't matter to me! Let's go kill some Risen!" Cynthia jumped up to her feet and ran past Sumia and out of the room. The two adults left inside blinked at their daughter's burst of energy.

"That was….unexpected" Sumia said as she stared blankly out of the hole.

"What did you think would happen? She is the daughter of the two biggest heroes of Ylisse" Chrom spoke with a smile as he wrapped an arm around his wife's waist and kissed her forehead. Sumia blushed a little and smiled back.

"She really is something, isn't she? No matter which world she is from. Let's go help her before she gets in over her head" Sumia left Chrom's embrace and exited the hole. Chrom let out a sigh.

"She certainly does get in over her head quite a bit, doesn't she?"

* * *

The Shepherds were all finally reunited, the four girls having been rescued. All that remained was the commander of the Risen army, a man with a cloak pulled up over his face. Robin and Frederick's groups formed lines to take away his escape. Once the formation was set, Robin stepped forward. Neither men made a move to attack, they simply stood there examining each other.

"Who are you?" Robin finally asked. The other man seemed to squirm at the question, taking a step backwards as if he had been struck. Robin raised an eyebrow and tried to make out any distinguishable features on the man's face that would tell him if he knew the person.

"Master Grima…why are you working with them?" The man finally spoke in a confused voice, as if his entire world had crumbled.

"Master Grima…..? My name is Robin, you must have mistaken me for another" Robin's curiosity grew at the young man.

"You are lying! Master Grima is the one true Robin! He told me so himself!" Something in what the other man screamed caused a click in Robin's mind. He suddenly started grinning.

"Wait a second. Is your name Marc?" Robin's question seemed to catch the other man off guard and a silence ensued.

"So it is then. Listen to me, the one you call Grima is not your real father. Your true father is—" Robin began before getting cut off.

"LIES! YOU TELL ME LIES! Grima cares for me, he has been here ever since I woke up in this desolate place! Urrrrghh if you did not share the same face as him, I would kill you! But I can't harm somebody with my father's face….forgive me Master Grima, I must leave this place! The battle is lost!" Marc took out a teleportation spell and began charging his magic.

"No! Marc! Wait!" Robin outstretched his hand but found he grasped nothing but air. His son was gone again. Robin grimaced and punched the wall in frustration.

"Damn! I was that close to getting him back!" Robin felt a hand touch his shoulder.

"Listen, Robin. We will find him again. I'm not sure what he means to you, but if he is important, we will find him" Chrom spoke from behind him. Robin smiled and turned, proceeding to explain the story of how Morgan has a twin brother, the relevance of what Naga said regarding an outsider, and his suspicion that the man that left was truly his son.

"That…is a lot to take in" Lon'qu observed once Robin had finished explaining. The tactician gave a slow, sad now.

"And that is why we have to get him back. His mind is being corrupted as we speak. This is an urgent matter"

Before anybody else could speak, a green light enveloped them and they were suddenly back in Naga's room.

* * *

"You could at least give a warning next time" Vaike said as he picked himself off the ground.

"You did well, the children have a renewed hope. In a few days, there will be another battle where you must go win the day. Enjoy your lives at home for now, but be ready for when you are summoned again." Naga spoke to them, though Robin and Chrom knew the message was mainly for them. They would likely pick fresh troops for the coming battle, not wanting to tire out their old friends who had earned freedom.

"Very well. We will be ready for the next battle" Chrom spoke for all the Shepherds. Before Naga could transport them back to their homes, Robin turned to the Exalt and smiled sheepishly.

"Hey Chrom…..can you have a guest room ready for tonight? I have a feeling Lucina won't be too happy about us leaving her behind" Robin scratched his head as he imagined the horrors awaiting for him. Chrom slapped Robin on the back.

"Oh don't worry Robin. I made preparations for this a long time ago, ever since you said you were leaving her behind. Lady Tiki already made sure a room was prepared."

Robin wasn't sure to be grateful for this preparation or scared that the dense Exalt that had difficulty reading women even knew the trouble he was in. He sighed, accepting his fate as green light once again whisked him away, back to his home.

* * *

Lucina stood at the top of the Ylissean castle, overlooking the destroyed city. It was a sad sight. The fall of man had been especially harsh in urban areas. Buildings crumbled and everything was deserted. Lucina stayed here as her title of Exalt called for her to do. She was always stoic, never allowing emotion to show. She did allow a small smile when seeing the green hair of the Voice of Naga approaching her position. Though this was quickly replaced by troubled feelings as she thought of the only reason that Lady Tiki would be here instead of at Mount Prism. She unsheathed Falchion and dashed down to greet her friend.

"Lady Tiki! What are you doing here!?" She yelled while running.

"Lucina. Mount Prism was destroyed. I have come here to warn you of Grima's approach. We must leave soon."

Lucina was hurt by the words, but something caught her eye that caused her to quicken her pace. A shadow seemed to move behind Lady Tiki, a telltale sign of Risen. A form of darkness molded itself behind Tiki, taking shape of a hooded man and holding a long, black steel blade that was jagged along the edge. It formed the shape of a dragon's tooth, and a foul energy was emitted by it. Lucina ran as fast as she could.

"Tiki! Behind you!" Lucina scrambled along the ground, fifty meters from Tiki. Her efforts were too slow. Tiki turned to see what was behind her, but instead found resistance to her turn. She felt blood coming into her mouth and a warmth in her stomach. She looked down to see a bloodied blade sticking out of her abdomen. All she could say was "oh" before her body was kicked off the blade towards Lucina. Lucina dove forward to catch her, looking for anyway to save the Voice.

"Tiki! Don't go! Don't leave me here!" She cried frantically. A soft hand touched her face, wiping the tears away. She opened her eyes to see Tiki smiling, though it was forced through pain.

"Run…..Lucina…."

Those were Tiki's final words. Lucina shook in anger as she looked up at the hooded man, who was approaching her quickly.

"Damn it all!" Lucina turned and ran. She knew she was no match for this beast by herself. She only wished her friends returned soon.

* * *

**A/N: Hey everybody! I have been wanting to write and I am so happy to announce that this story has just surpassed 30,000 views! Thank you to everyone that has supported this story. This was just an idea I randomly had after beating Fire Emblem and I had never dreamed of it getting to where it is. So thank you to everybody that has left a review, favorited or followed this story, sent me a PM letting me know what this story means to them, and everybody else who has given this story a chance and read it through. Which is why I would like to announce this day as Fan Appreciation Day. What does this entail? Well, you just finished reading the first event of today, and now I get to announce the second. I am releasing Chapter 1 of **_**The Beginning of Life**_**, which is the prequel to this story, today! So if you have enjoyed this story, why not check out that one? I hope you will all enjoy it, though it will be a bit different from what you have seen in this story, at least until Lucina joins the group. Then all the fluff you know and love will return. Until then, it will be pure action and goofing off among the Shepherds. I will say that I will be giving it a rating of M, that way I don't have to hold back on the battle scenes or any of the innuendo you know I love to put in the story. No, there will not be any lemons. I'm just letting you know because you will have to change your filters to find it, or just find it through my profile page. I hope you enjoyed my first battle scene ever! Answering review time!**

**John Night- Shhhhhhh it will be our little secret. Nobody else needs to know the truth.**

**Jammy- Trust me, I know. I haven't even beaten Future Past myself yet, so I'm going off online scripts and what not. I like the idea as well though.**

**Antex- Lucina will never go easy on Robin as long as I can write. Ever.**

**Guest- Oh, there are special plans for Robin and Lucina. Especially the only Robin that Lucina knows is the her uncle. I hope I don't disappoint on the conversations!**

**Thank you everyone! I will see you next update, have a great day!**

**-Austin**


	18. Future Past Part III

**Chapter 18: Future Past Part III**

Robin pulled his hood up as he stared at his front door. It had grown dark outside, so he was contemplating whether or not Lucina would be asleep by now. He hoped she was, he did not want to get yelled at right after their big victory in the outrealm. Sighing, he decided he couldn't put off going inside any longer, whether or not he would be greeted with an angry wife. He fumbled around in the pockets of his robe until he found the small gold key that matched the lock to the door. With great caution he quietly slipped the key in and turned it as slowly and quietly as he could until he heard the distinct click of the bolt being retracted all the way. He turned the doorknob slowly and stepped into the darkness of his living room with great relief. Lucina was nowhere around, so he would be safe for tonight.

Robin sighed again as he slipped off his robe and sat down on the couch, ready to get some rest after a battle against fate and impossible odds. And to top it off, he had finally found the boy he thought was his son, but the chance to retrieve him had slipped through his grasp. Robin mentally cursed himself and made an oath to never allow a chance like that to disappear again. In his thoughts and anguish, he failed to hear the footsteps coming down the stairs. As he hung his head in the palms of his hands thinking back on his exchange with Marc, he felt arms slowly wrap themselves around his neck from behind, soft hands grasping onto his own with a loving touch that sent a chill down his spine. Something warm nuzzled against his cheek and Robin turned to find Lucina with a content smile on her face. He turned and lifted Lucina by the waist over the couch and laid down with her resting on his chest, her ear being pressed against him to hear his heartbeat. All of his fears about her anger subsided when he saw the smile she had, the one she always had whenever she was truly happy. He reached out to the table and grabbed the blanket that was sitting there and draped it over himself and Lucina, then began to gently stroke her hair behind her ear until they both fell asleep.

Robin slept peacefully while a warmth he was familiar with seemed to cradle him. As sunlight threatened to push his eyes open in the morning, another familiar warmth presented itself at his lips. His eyes fluttered open to find his blue haired love kissing him gently while her hand cupped his cheek. When she finally pulled away, Robin looked happily into her deep blue eyes.

"Goodmorning" He said in a whisper.

"Goodmorning" She repeated in the same volume of voice. Robin had come to love every moment they had like this, as it were these kinds of times that he knew he had no regrets for killing Grima. He never wanted there to be a chance where he was separated from this happiness and he never wanted anybody else that found this happiness to be cut from it too soon. He reached up and ran his fingers through her long hair.

"I'm sorry I disappeared like that. Naga needed us to help save another world that had-" He began explaining calmly before being cut off by Lucina's harsh voice.

"WAIT. You mean you were in a battle?" Lucina hissed, obviously angry at the prospect of not being there to protect her love.

"Well, yeah. It is kind of hard to explain…wait, didn't Tiki tell you what we were doing?"

"She only said Naga had need of you!" Lucina pouted.

Robin sighed and tried to keep Lucina calm, but her angry stare told him he had better explain quickly. Sighing again, he recounted to her the tale of what Naga had told them and their battle to save the four girls that were her comrades in another life. When he had finished, she cupped a hand to her mouth, horrified at what he had told her.

"You mean…you saw…what my world was like…?" She hesitated to say. Lucina knew Robin had lived through horrors of his own just by having Grima's essence in him, but she had never wanted to see what would have happened if he had accepted the Fell Dragon entirely. Knowing her husband, he would likely blame himself for the actions of a different person altogether.

"Yeah…it wasn't pretty. But we managed to save the girls and we will be saving the others soon. We are changing the fate of the world" Robin spoke with passion and a smile that reassured Lucina that he felt no guilt. He had initially felt said guilt when Naga told them what would happen to the world if left untouched, but he realized he could take action instead of feeling guilty and change fate as Lucina had done.

"I'm glad you have found such resolve. Though I never would wish such a fate on anyone as to see how bleak the future is…or was, rather. I hope you understand that I will come with you next battle" Lucina said firmly.

"But Lucina-"

"No Robin. I am going to be there to protect you. I am not going to lose you again" Lucina stated in a manner that told Robin there was no room for argument. He grumbled to himself about fearing for her own safety, but he knew better than to try to change her mind at this point. Seeing him so flustered made the princess smile, as it was truly a rare sight. She slowly got off from being on top of him and moved over to the kitchen to begin making some breakfast, her sleek purple nightgown swaying softly as she walked.

"Oh, and Robin?" Lucina asked without turning from her cooking. Robin paused from folding up the blanket to look up at his wife.

"I hope you know that because of your disappearing act, you will be watching Megan and Marth for a few days by yourself once this outrealm is finished up so I can spend time with Mother and Cynthia at one of Anna's spas" Lucina smiled as she heard Robin's groan at the thought of being alone with the twins, but he muttered his agreement eventually. As if on cue, noise erupted from the twins' bedroom and they burst out, anxious to see their father's return.

* * *

"Dear Naga, can't you at least give us a warning…." Robin rubbed the back of his head, which had hit the hard tile floor. Chrom stood a few feet away from him while Naga's apparition floated above them.

"Robin, you are the only one that gets hurt while teleporting. I think it is safe to say that it is your fault alone." Chrom spoke with his Exalt voice, having just been pulled out from a meeting with emissaries and not having had enough time to change his modes. Robin had discovered that the way Chrom can even act as Exalt while having his carefree personality was to develop strange modes he entered, as if he were a robot. Exalt was one of them, but there were others he had developed since. For example drunken bard mode, Robin's personal favorite.

"I think Naga just likes to spite me" Robin retorted, looking up at the apparition.

"The fell blood within you interferes with my spells, so that may be the cause" Naga's voice rang out. Robin then looked to Chrom with victory in his eyes, but Chrom held the same look.

"I told you!" Both men yelled at each other like children. Before they could get into an argument about whose fault it was that Robin always ended up on his head, Naga intervened.

"Four boys have acquired Sable and Argent, but are cut down before returning to Ylisse. Two sacrifice themselves for the cause, while two are chased down and killed. Only you may change their fates. Choose ten to go with you, and choose quickly. Time favors nobody." Naga spoke fast and to the point, emphasizing the urgency. Chrom looked to Robin, as there had been a week for the tactician to decide who to take with them.

"Only ten this time, huh? Hmm….I guess I will cut out Vaike and Cherche for this round…" Robin put a finger to his chin much as Anna had a habit of doing.

"Alright. We want Sumia, Lissa, Lon'qu, Virion, Olivia, Gaius, Panne, Ricken, Maribelle…" Robin paused and looked apologetically to Chrom for a few moments.

"What is it?" Chrom was confused why Robin stopped before announcing the last name. The tactician sighed and dropped his eyes.

"…..Lucina"

"WHAT!? I thought we weren't bringing any of the children Robin?" Chrom turned angrily towards the white haired man, waiting for an answer.

"Well….she can be very convincing of her points…." Robin chose to leave out the scenes flashing through his mind of a stuffy room late at night with clothes scattered across the floor. "_Definitely better not to bring that up"_ He thought to himself. Before Chrom could argue back, Naga transported each individual Robin had named into the chamber. Each looked confused besides Sumia and Lucina, though after a few moments of seeing all their comrades, they figured why they were called and calmed themselves. Lucina and Sumia both grinned widely and ran to hug their respective husbands, who shared the same reaction of forgetting the oncoming argument and simply hugged the women they loved.

"Very well, Awakener and Fell Blood. Be quick in your preparations, I will take you there when you are ready" Naga's apparition faded, leaving the Shepherds alone in the chamber. Chrom cleared his voice and stepped away from Sumia.

"We are in an ongoing battle in an outrealm with Grima to save the children we have all grown to love. I am not sure if the letters reached everybody that contained the details yet, but in case not I will explain quickly. In this world, each future child is slain and Grima reigns victorious, forever. We have been called forth to save each of them. You may see your own child, but know you are not truly their parent, as it is a completely different world rather than a timeline issue. We will not know anything of the terrain or situation, so Robin will come up with a plan then. All we have been told is that we will be outside, so we will have our mounts for this battle." Chrom then moved down the line, preparing his war speech.

"I address you today, not as the Exalt of Ylisse, not as the leader of the Shepherds, but as a citizen of humanity. We are faced with the very gravest of challenges; what we know as the end of Naga. The end of all things. And yet for the second time in the history of the world, our species has a method of preventing its own extinction. Through all the chaos that is our history, through all of our times, there is one thing that has elevated us humans above our origins. And that is our courage. Dreams of an entire world are focused tonight on these twelve brave souls traveling across the heavens. And may all the inhabitants of that world see these events through. Naga speed and good luck to you."

With that, the Shepherds were whisked away in a green magical essence.

* * *

The Shepherds reappeared in what appeared to be a series of ravines, though a heavy downpour skewed their vision. Looking far across two ravines, they could make out four human boys, and after further inspection the boys could be made out to be Inigo, Yarne, Owain, and Brady. Their respective mothers all tensed as they noticed the Risen approaching their position. They could not hear what was being said between the boys, but soon Yarne and Brady ran across the bridge that was behind them to find a safe clearing away from the Risen.

"Wait! Why aren't Owain and Inigo going with them!?" Lucina cried out in a concerned voice, a hand clutched over her heart. Robin watched the boys who had yet to cross the bridge curiously, waiting for their next move. Then Inigo's sword raised and time slowed for Robin. The blade danced downward and sliced through the ropes of the bridge, cutting away their only means of escape. Cutting off the Risen from Brady and Yarne.

"NOOOO!" Robin yelled. He was too late. This was the sacrifice Naga had spoken of. Chrom looked to Robin for a strategy, but the tactician had gone off the deep end. He had already seen one comrade sacrifice themselves for the sake of the Shepherds, he was not about to watch another. Robin turned, a ferocity like no other on his face.

"Lissa, Lon'qu, Olivia, Virion, you are getting across to your children. Sumia, I need you to take them, as many as you can at a time, over to them. Take Lon'qu and Virion first. They can do the most damage for now, then come get the girls. From there, take Chrom to the second bridge, where Yarne and Brady currently are. Hold off any Risen that come after them. Everybody else, we are crossing the bridge over to Brady and Yarne by foot. We go with haste!" Robin turned and leapt onto the back of a Risen Pegasus in front of him, driving his Levin sword deep into the rider's throat before throwing him into the ravine.

"On second thought, Sumia just take the girls. Lon'qu and Virion will take this Pegasus across" Robin handed the reigns to Lon'qu, who nodded and the two men jumped aboard while the tactician slid off. Olivia and Lissa climbed onto Sumia's Pegasus and the five of them began soaring across the ravines, avoiding the arrows from the bowmen and spears from the generals. Robin's face began growing dark.

"Everybody, go now!" He yelled, snapping everybody from their daze and causing them to rush across the bridge. Robin pulled his cloak up over his head as he stared down the Risen falcon knights along with the great knights and snipers that loomed on the plateau across the ravine. The tactician grit his teeth as his blood boiled, thinking back to a certain sacrifice from the past. He had seen two sacrifices all the way through, one from the previous Exalt to turn the tides of war and one from a dear friend that allowed all of the Shepherds to escape the clutches of the Valmese troops. Both resulted in their deaths. Both he felt so helpless in. And in neither of them could he ever find a better solution in. But it was different here. They could all be saved; that is why Naga sent them here. And he would be damned if he ever let someone die for him again. His dark eyes glanced up to the storm above.

"_A fitting day. Let's see what Grima's power can really do"_ Robin thought as he stared at his hands. In this world, Grima's power remained, and Robin felt it within himself that he could tap into the power in the air, as he had during their second Plegian campaign. He pulled out his Mjölnir tome and slowly raised his hand towards the sky. A laugh escaped his lips as he stared up at the dark clouds that poured rain upon their heads. Lightning bounced between them, leaping from darkness to darkness, anxious to spread their light. A similar light began crackling between Robin's fingers as he readied his spell, until he closed his eyes and allowed the dark energy to enter his body. The lightning at his fingertips turned black as shadow consumed them. When Robin opened his eyes, his normal brown eyes were replaced with red. He slowly moved his hand from above him to out in front of him.

"Mjölnir!" He roared. A black lighting rained from the clouds, obliterating all of the Risen in front of him. When the spell finally ceased, only a scorched path of earth remained. As for the Risen troops, a handful of cavaliers surrounded Inigo and Owain, though the Shepherds were almost there, and various knights surrounded the commander. More than likely, said commander was Marc. Robin threw the used tome down the ravine and turned to continue on with his comrades. He was happy to see that they had not stopped to stare at him when he used his dark lighting magic as they did the first time and rather eliminated the few Risen that were outside of the range of his attack. A Levin sword found its way into the tactician's hand as he quickly stepped into formation next to his wife.

* * *

"Owain!"

"Inigo!"

The cries came from the boys' respective mothers as they leapt off Sumia's Pegasus and onto the backs of the two cavaliers below them, burying their sword and axe deep into the creatures' craniums. Lon'qu followed suit to decapitate the third cavalier and Virion sent an arrow between the eyes of the final Risen troop.

"Mother!? Father!?" Both boys cried out at the same time, incredulous at the sight before them. All four parents looked uneasily at each other before stepping up to consult their child.

"Owain. Inigo. We are not your true parents. We were sent by Naga from another world to save you all" Lon'qu began.

"That's right! But you were so brave out there! Both of you! And we are all so proud that you are courageous enough to save your friends, no matter the odds! But please, in the future, don't give your lives up so easily" Lissa continues for her husband, smiling and striding to Owain to pat his head.

"Mother….Father….It matters not that you came from another world…." Owain looked down at his feet while tears formed in his eyes.

"All that matters….is that you are here now. I cannot let myself rest now or give up. My sword hand demands I fight on! Father! Mother! It would be a great honor for me to fight at your side one last time!" Owain pulled up his sword with both hands, pointing it out in front of him at the Risen knights across the bridge. Lon'qu allowed a small smirk while Lissa fought back tears at seeing her son in such a state.

"And it would be our honor to fight next to you. Just please, try not to give up your life so easily next time. If you truly want to honor and protect your friends, then fight for their lives, don't just give up yours" Lon'qu put a hand on his son's shoulder.

"That's right! Now let's go kick some Risen ass and save the future!" Lissa yelled with a fist pump before charging forward, prompting her husband and outrealm son to try to regain ground and protect her. Olivia and Virion waited until they had crossed the bridge to turn towards Inigo.

"Inigo…..you are so brave….I'm sorry….that I left you here all alone in this world…" Olivia spoke softly, tears welling in her eyes. Virion casually put an arm around her and pulled her close.

"Now, now, there is but no reason to cry! Here, the Motherest of Mothers, the Fatherest of Fathers, and the Sonniest of Sons have been reunited to fight off evil! Truly, there has not been a more legendary day!" Virion exclaimed, his talking only causing both his wife and outrealm son to cry even more.

"Mother….Father….I was so scared. I told Owain we would make it out of this, but each time my sword danced with the enemy's, all I could think of was how this would be our final resting place. I was ready to give up….I am a disgrace to you both…" Inigo allowed his tears to fall completely. Virion and Olivia stepped forward and wrapped their son in a warm embrace.

"Inigo, you are no disgrace. We love you with all of our hearts, and we held a similar fear. A fear that we would not make it in time. Everybody gets scared, but what is important is you fought for your friends. We could not be prouder" Olivia spoke into Inigo's ear while brushing back his hair.

"That is true. Now, we must show how we are all the bravest of the brave and fight alongside everybody else! Are you with me, Inigo?" Virion asked as he stepped back and nocked an arrow on his bowstring. Inigo smiled and picked his sword up off the ground.

"Of course! It is my turn to protect you both!" He roared as the three rushed to join up with the other family.

* * *

The Risen had been cleared around Brady and Yarne and the Shepherds now surrounded them on the bridge. The two boys looked around at the long lost faces, stopping and staring when they saw their respective parents. Robin stepped past the crowd with Lucina trailing behind him before turning back and looking at the group.

"Maribelle, Panne, please explain what is going on to them. I am going forth to get my son as well" the tactician called before resuming his quick stride across the plateau, anxious to find his son.

Ricken rushed forward from the group surrounding the two boys and stopped in front of Brady.

"Brady! I'm glad you are safe!" the mage yelled. Brady simply looked at him in confusion.

"Who are you?" the cleric responded. Ricken dropped his shoulders immediately.

"Don't you recognize me!? It's me! Ricken! Your father!" Ricken flailed his arms, desperate to get Brady to understand. The boy still looked with blank eyes.

"What are ya talking about? My father wasn't a pipsqueak" Brady's words caused a hopeful look to burst onto Ricken's face. Maribelle sighed and shook her head, knowing what was coming.

"You….you mean….I GET TALLER!?" The mage yelled before fainting from excitement. Maribelle watched her husband collapse to the floor before looking up to her son.

"Brady, we did not raise you to treat your parents so rudely. Then again, we are not truly your parents. We came from another world to save you, though we still expect to be treated with respect. Now come, we must move on and help out the others" Maribelle tilted her head up before urging her horse forward, leaving Brady to look bewildered.

"Ya mean…..Ma and Pa came all the way out here just to save me? Aw shucks, you guys didn't have to do that! You are right! Let's kill some Risen! But….what do we do about Pa?" Brady asked, looking down at the fainted mage. Maribelle continued forward without looking back.

"Leave him here, he will wake up eventually" With that, Brady hesitantly ran to catch up with his mother, leaving his father behind. Chrom looked down at the mage and shook his head before moving him from the bridge to stable ground, then got onto Sumia's Pegasus to ride alongside his wife. Only Panne, Yarne and Gaius remained.

"So….you two came from another world to save me?" The young taguel asked timidly. Gaius laughed and looked down at his son.

"You kidding? I came here to get all the treasure. You don't need any saving, kid. You are strong, just like your mother" The thief placed a lollipop into his mouth and slid his hands into his pockets.

"Your father is correct. No taguel needs rescuing. You have done well Yarne, you do us proud. Both human and taguel." Panne spoke in her normal blunt voice.

"Still….I'm scared. I don't want to die and let our whole race go extinct" Yarne shook as he spoke.

"Pfft. You always talk about extinction, but you are way tougher than that, kid. You just need to see the strength in yourself, plus you have your father and mother here for you now." Gaius turned and began walking towards where the other two had gone off towards.

"He is right. We both love you, no matter what world we are from, and no matter how many worlds separate us. We will always be with you. Now come, let us do the taguel race proud and show that we can challenge the fate of this world" Panne wrapped an arm around her son.

"You are right! I can't be scared anymore! Let's go save the world!" Yarne broke out of his mother's grasp and ran after Gaius, leaving Panne to simply shake her head.

"That boy can be such a handful" she said as she walked after them.

* * *

"Not this time Marc!" Robin yelled as he tackled his son, who had taken out another teleportation spell and was charging up his magic. The two tumbled around on the ground until Robin finally yanked the spell free and tossed it over the edge of the ravine. He pinned Marc down on his back and sat up. Lucina rushed over to their side to make sure they were both okay. She smiled down at her son.

"You must be Marc. Morgan has told us both so much about you" To Robin's surprise, Lucina's words caused the boy to stop struggling. He looked up wide eyed at his mother, his short blue hair tussled and messy.

"M-mother?" Marc asked incredulously. Tears formed in Lucina's eyes as she nodded her head. Robin smiled and rolled his eyes.

"Oh, that is just fantastic. So you remember your Mother but not me. Is this what it was like with Morgan?" Robin asked his wife. Lucina giggled and nodded her head.

"I think I know who his favorite parent was" Lucina jested at her husband, who only responded by running a hand through his long white hair.

"How could I ever forget Mother? I would spend each day sparring with her in the yard. I grew to be just as good as her" Marc spoke excitedly, before his eyes darkened.

"So this means I really was lied to about who Grima is?"

"I'm afraid so. But all that matters is you see the truth now. Welcome home, son" Robin smiled as he stood up from his son, only to stop short as he felt a pain burst through his right side. He looked down to find the end of a spear poking through his right abdomen.

"Well that's…different…" He said before he collapsed onto the ground.

"Robin!" Marc and Lucina yelled in unison. Robin heard the sounds of blades cutting through armor and figured the battle had been won with the final Risen that has stabbed him being slain. He felt hands on his back as he was pushed into a sitting position. A searing pain went through his body as the spear was pulled out. He could barely make out Lissa's voice as the familiar cool touch of healing magic surrounded his wound. Darkness consumed his vision until finally his consciousness left him.

* * *

Lucina ran as fast as she could, only allowing herself to look back once she had made it back to the castle. She turned and searched, but saw no sign of Grima anywhere. Slowly she made her way back to her fallen friend. Tiki laid upon the ground, a pool of blood surrounding her. Her eyes bore little life and blood spilled from her lips. Lucina fell to her knees next to her.

"I'm sorry Tiki….I can try to get help! I shouldn't have left you!" Lucina cried out. A hand shakily reached up and touched the Exalt's face.

"It…..is okay. You….must….live. You….must….reclaim the peace…..that…Marth….sought….." Tiki spoke slowly, then let out a long breath, marking her passing for good. Lucina's tears fell and stained the Voice's clothes.

"Tiki….no…please don't go…..AH GODS NO!" Lucina buried her head in her friend's stomach, desperately trying to hear or feel any sign of life, but found none. The last connection to Naga was truly dead.

* * *

**A/N: Hey there! A quick note, I made a change to one of the chapters because there was a plot point I wanted to have in the Beginning of Life (which will have a new chapter soon), if you want specifics the change is in Chapter 3. It is subtle, but it is there. Also, we have entered the 100 followers club! Thank you for everyone for your support! Make sure to go give a follow to the prequel as well, as there will be greatness coming! Answering reviews time!**

**Kee-I am glad this story is causing such emotions! It means I am really connecting you to the characters, which is one of my goals in writing this!**

**Antex-I'm glad the fight scene did not disappoint, it was definitely a bit different to write!**

**Until next time, good followers and favoriters. Be on the lookout for a new prequel chapter coming soon!**

**-Austin**

**Post Note- has anybody realized thst Gregor has the saddest backstory of all time? I was reading through his supports and I found out both his parents were murdered in front of him and eventually when he had the chance to save his last loving relative, his brother, he failed and his brother was butchered by bandits. Gregor then took his brother's name to live for him, which could explain why he talks in third person. Geez FE:A, you got fucking dark.**

**The Beginning of Life Chapter 2 is now up!**


	19. Future Past Part IV: Finale

**Chapter 19: Future Past Part IV: Finale**

Morgan looked out at the ruins before her. They had all just been transported into the fallen world by Naga with her being the lead tactician in place of her injured father. Of course, the stubborn man still insisted he come along, despite the fact that he was bandaged from waist to neck and couldn't walk without a cane. Now they stood in an empty square with nothing in it except the other world Lucina, Laurent, Severa and Gerome, as well as the Shepherds that had been teleported there. And standing right in the middle of the Shepherds was a man that looked just like the Robin that accepted Grima from their own world. Morgan looked across at their ranks. They had brought along Chrom, Sumia, Cordelia, Frederick, Cherche, Vaike, Miriel, Libra, Lucina, the injured Robin, Nowi, Gregor, Yarne and herself. They were currently surrounding the fell dragon, though they were all on edge as they remembered how powerful he was in their own world.

"Not today, Grima! We are here to save this world!" Chrom called out at the fell dragon. Morgan shook her head, realizing Chrom always had to be the one making speeches like this. He had always been the stereotypical hero type to help everyone and "vanquish evil". She could see how he and Owain were related. The fell Robin merely laughed at Chrom's outburst, which caused the Exalt to raise an eyebrow.

"Naga believes sending all of you, people I have defeated before, will really change anything? How foolish, outrealm Shepherds. Though I cannot wait to kill you again, Chrom." The fell Robin snarled back with an overconfident grin. A grin that disappeared when Robin spoke up.

"Funny, I seem to remember that we killed you for good back in our world. But I guess that wouldn't matter to you, you snarky bastard" the injured tactician said with a smile. The fell Robin's face contorted in a mix of confusion at how his other self was here, until suddenly the dark flames surrounding him receded slightly and his eyes turned from red to a light brown.

"Finally…..my salvation arrives…..the only one….that can beat me…." The fell Robin spoke with Robin's voice, but it was filled with sadness and regret. Just as quickly, the dark flames returned and the fell Robin was back to normal. Robin stood confused at what just happened, searching desperately for a witty remark, but found none in the situation. The fell dragon spoke first.

"Stupid servant, he still won't completely give in, even though I have crushed his will time and time again. No matter, I have made him watch as I killed everyone once, now he will watch again!"

With that, the fell Robin transported out of the circle of Shepherds and appeared far across the square they were on. Then in an instant, Risen of all kinds filled the space between them and the Grima.

"Damn! Alright Shepherds, this is our final battle in this world, we must come out victorious!" Chrom yelled as they fell back to surround the outrealm children, who all looked with confusion as they saw their dead parents fighting with them.

"Father!?" The outrealm Lucina yelled when Chrom stood next to her. He blinked a few times, then realized he should probably explain.

"Ah, Lucina. We are from another world, so we are not truly your-" was how much he got out before the outrealm Lucina dove into a hug on him.

"Father! I missed you so much! I don't care that you are from another world, I have been so scared here! But please, don't fight here! I can't lose you a second time!" She yelled from on top of him. Chrom smiled and patted her back.

"Don't worry, Lucina, you won't have to see that. I don't intend to fall here, I don't have a snarky tactician to stab me while my guard is down this time" He said while staring at Robin.

"Hey! That was one damn time, Chrom!" He yelled back. The outrealm Lucina's face once again twisted in confusion.

"Uncle Robin?"

And with that, every single one of the Shepherds burst out laughing except for Robin, who hung his head. Even his wife was laughing at her other self's question.

"Please….Lucina….I am begging you. Please, don't ever call me that again" He said, still waiting for the laughter to die down.

"Why can't I call you Uncle? That is what I have always called you"

And there goes the second round of laughter. Robin's face was red as another version of his wife was calling him her uncle, something that had taken him a long time of thought to get over the first time he met Lucina when he went through the stage of realizing he would be courting his best friend's daughter.

"Damn, Robin, please don't try to get this one too. I know being called 'Uncle' is one of those things you enjoy!" Vaike called out from the middle of his conversation with the outrealm Gerome. Robin once again hung his head.

"Even if that were true, I hardly think Lucina would allow me to talk to her other self like-" Robin said before Lucina gave him a hard punch in the shoulder at what he was implying.

"Robin, I sure hope you aren't getting any ideas here. I already gave you my daughter once, I don't intend to do it twice" Chrom joked from under the outrealm Lucina, who was still confused.

"Gave him your daughter? What do you mean? Did Uncle Robin adopt me as a child or something?" She asked. This time it was Cordelia's turn to retort.

"You could say that. He always has been fond of the children" She said with a grin, staring at the red faced tactician.

"Naga damn it, how does this shit always happen to me?" Robin wondered out loud. The outrealm Lucina stood off Chrom and walked over to put a hand on Robin's shoulder, which solicited Robin's wife to stand straighter and be on alert, seeing the loving gesture. She knew Robin thought she was the most beautiful girl in the world, so it would make sense that an exact copy of herself could be a threat to her. Then again, she had always been overprotective of her parents and Robin whenever she thought there may be a threat to their relationships.

"I don't know what they are laughing at, but I am here for you, Uncle. In this world, you killed my father, but it seems in your world you saved him from that fate and then saved everyone from the fate you see before you. So you have my eternal gratitude." The outrealm Lucina said with a very serious look. Robin rubbed the back of his head, unsure of what to say. He hated the bringing up of his killing Chrom and he wasn't sure of what to think of his wife expressing his gratitude to him when she was not truly his wife, but another version of her.

"Uh…yeah…don't mention it. Really, please don't. It's awkward." The tactician mumbled. The outrealm Lucina looked confused for a moment, the glanced back and forth between him and the other Lucina that was glaring at the two. Slowly, she began piecing things together.

"Wait….everybody laughed when I called you Uncle…and the other me is glaring at us….what exactly is going on?"

"Weeeelllll…" Robin sheepishly grinned as he thought of how to phrase it. Sumia decided to help him out, or what she thought was helping.

"In our world, you and Robin are married!" She yelled cheerfully. Which then caused the outrealm Lucina to turn bright red and begin stuttering and mumbling some words about her Uncle, then slowly backing away from Robin. Which Lucina then took the opportunity to take her place by her husband, wrapping an arm around him as if claiming her property.

"Auugh….thanks Sumia…I guess. Morgan, can you please just get the troops moving so we can end this?" Robin said, red in the face and looking very annoyed. Morgan, who had been enjoying the whole show between her mother, father, and outrealm mother, frowned and let out a big sigh at it all being interrupted.

"Fiiiiiiine. Alright, we are going to use a hardened shell formation. Shepherds, take the outer ring, protect the four children. We will make our way slowly towards Grima and take out any Risen that approach us." Morgan then took up a spot in front, flourishing her Thoron tome in front of her and allowing lightning to crackle on her fingers. All the other Shepherds took up battle formations in a circle, watching all sides as their opponents surrounded them. They moved up slowly, dispatching any Risen that got near them with swords, spears, axes, magic, and fireballs from Nowi. It didn't take long to cross the square and reach Grima.

"Welcome to your demise, children of Naga! There is no hope for you here, though you may dispatch simple reason, you could never hope to defeat me!" The fell Robin roared at the oncoming Shepherds. The injured Robin stepped forward, leaning on his cane for support.

"Funny, that's similar to what you said the last time we fought. The time we finished you off for good. Maybe I can show you what that was like" he said as he reached into his coat with great difficulty, fighting the pain in his chest from the wound. He pulled out a Thoron tome like Morgan's and extended his hand, lightning crackling at his fingertips. He nodded his head towards Lucina, who raised her Falchion and burst forward with great speed. Grima showed a little panic as he looked at the two oncoming attacks, unsure which to block.

"Thoron!" Robin yelled, shooting a large beam of lightning at his fell self. The beam flew over Grima's left shoulder, not touching him. A smile overtook the man's face.

"You missed" he said before summoning dark energy into his palm, intent on crushing the Shepherds in one attack.

"Think again!" a female voice cried out from his left. The fell Robin turned just in time to see Lucina bringing down an electrically charged Falchion, sinking it deep into his shoulder. The lightning dispersed from Falchion into the rest of his body, severing his nerve connections and rendering him paralyzed. Lucina quickly retreated back to formation. The rest of the Risen in the area disappeared in puffs of smoke as Grima's power quickly drained. The smoke around the fell Robin dissipated, leaving the husk of the man that once was.

"Thank you…..Robin….Chrom. I…couldn't fight him anymore. In the beginning….we shared this body. I was strong enough….to keep his control off of me when I needed my body…." The fell Robin spoke in his normal voice, the traces of Grima seemingly gone.

"But as time went on….I begun to lose that ability. I thought I was…invincible….I was wrong.." He coughed up blood, though nobody showed a look of concern as they listened to the tale of the man that accepted Grima.

"I had….unbelievable power….but at what cost? I was forced to watch…as Grima murdered my friends….and with each death I felt my strength leave me….until I didn't have any more control of my body…."

Robin thought back to their interactions with the fell Robin of their world, remembering the story they had been told.

"I know. I know you were trying to defeat Validar, so you took the power, thinking it could save your friends as well. I know about how you two shared a consciousness, and you learned how truly evil Grima was. And I know how despite all that, you still tried to find some redeeming quality in him, rather than find a way to rid yourself of him. That was your mistake, a mistake that cost you control of your body"

The fell Robin looked down in shame with a small look of surprise, obviously wondering how the other Robin knew so much about his past. He figured the other Shepherds must have already interacted with a fell Robin, but all these thoughts made his head hurt. He resigned on one final course of action.

"Thank you….for giving me these moments of freedom. Perhaps I can find peace in the afterlife. For now, I will send you back to your worlds, in case Grima takes over once again. I don't want to risk you all getting hurt again. Thank you again….it is a debt I can never repay. Once you are gone, I'm sure the girl can finish me off for good. Now, goodbye Chrom, Robin, and all the others…."

In another flash of green light, the Shepherds were gone before they had any moment to protest.

* * *

"Damn! We were so close!" Chrom slammed a fist into the wall of the chamber, causing the wall to collapse. Naga's apparition looked on without any sort of emotion.

"Do not worry, Awakener. I have already figured out a way to help them" Naga spoke then motioned towards a corner of the room, where another apparition approached from. The Shepherds let out a collective gasp of surprise.

"L-lady Tiki!?" Libra called out, shocked to see his goddess in such a state.

"Relax, Libra. I am from the other world, I have been gathering energy from Naga of this world, so that I may become the Divine Dragon of my own world. There, I can help the Exalt and restore peace to the world" Tiki said, trying to calm everybody down.

"Yes, she will take my place and help finish off the Fell Dragon" Naga confirmed before a wisp of green light took Tiki away. The rest of the Shepherds stood stiff for a second before one by one the relaxed and took a step back, placing their weapons away. Chrom spoke first.

"So then it's over?"

"Yes. You have done well, Awakener. You as well, Fell Blood. Although you were injured, you still went with them and helped defeat Grima. You all deserve some rest, and I do not believe any trouble should appear soon. Enjoy your lives, saviors of worlds"

The Shepherds appeared within the Ylisstol castle before they knew it, all the troubles of Grima and the other world safely behind them. Chrom ordered for a celebration and plenty of ale was brought out for them. Every Shepherd was in attendance and all were trying as quick as they could to get drunk and forget the battles or, in Gregor's case, seeing how many ale it took this time to feel any different than normal.

Off in a corner sat two who were happily watching the celebration, not partaking in the loud partying of their friends and family. The taller of the two leaned upon the shorter, struggling to support his own weight. The shorter happily held the man in her arms, not caring about the outside world.

"It brings me no greater happiness than seeing you safely out of that. I can't believe you convinced Morgan to let you go! In your current condition, you shouldn't have been in battle, it was reckless and careless of you. I don't think I could have lost you a second time!" Lucina scolded Robin, who held a happy grin on his face, content on just being with his wife.

"Relax, dear. We both made it out okay, and more importantly we found Marc. Now our entire family is back together."

"…True. I just can't help but worry about you. Promise me we won't do anything risky like that again? After all, age is going to start hitting soon."

"Haha, you are right, as always. I'll do my best to keep us out of this kind of stuff, but you know your father. He will do anything to keep me in battle and away from you"

"Give him some credit, after all he did allow us to get our own place. Knowing how he normally is, we should be surprised he didn't tie us down and force us to live in separate rooms our entire lives."

"Don't….don't joke about that. I don't want any possibility of giving him ideas….I wouldn't exactly be able to fight him off in this condition."

Lucina smiled up at her husband before turning his head gently with her hand and pressing her lips against his. She pulled back and buried her head softly into his bandaged chest.

"I'll make sure you get strong again, you don't have to lift a finger. You have my gratitude for helping everyone in that world. Without you, I'm not sure if we could have saved all of them. But once again, you helped us defeat Grima and save the world. You have quite the reputation." She teased.

"You know I hate all the attention. I'm perfectly happy with just being the invisible force helping along my friends. Even you have seen me slipping away from the crowd on the homecoming parades."

"And I certainly remember Chrom dragging you back and tying you up on a chair for all to see"

Robin laughed as he remembered everything from what felt like decades ago.

"We really have been fighting for a long time…..it will be nice to finally get rest"

"Rest? Don't tell me that's all you have in mind for us" Lucina said in a rather seductive tone. Robin turned bright red before wrapping his other arm around his wife.

"N…no, of course not. You are being rather straight forward today, aren't you?"

"Cynthia isn't the only one who enjoys seeing the hero in action, after all"

Robin grinned and leaned in to kiss his wife.

"HEY CHROM! ROBIN IS GETTING IT ON WITH YOUR DAUGHTER AGAIN!" Vaike suddenly yelled from right next to him. And just like that, the couple's moment was gone and Robin began to run like hell with Chrom hot on his heels, Falchion in hand.

"NAGA DAMN IT VAIKE!"

* * *

**A/N: Hello everyone! We have just closed off the Future Past Arc! I hope it was worth the read! We are now getting close to the final stretch of the story! I have gotten some suggestions for one shot stories, but I still need another arc or two, so send in your ideas via review or PM, please! Unfortunately, there won't be a prequel chapter this week, but hopefully there will be two chapters for it next week! Sorry, I've started watching Bleach and it kind of took all of my time I had to write….so yeah. Only one review again this week!**

**Antex-Thanks for sticking with the story and arc! Hopefully the arc was good!**

**Until next week, and hopefully I will have some more reviews to answer next time!**

**Austin**


	20. Familial Ties

**Chapter 20: Familial Ties**

Things had grown quiet in the house of the tactician and former Exalt. Megan and Marth were always running around, but other than that nothing ever happened. Robin and Lucina spent their days sitting in front of the house, holding onto each other while a cool breeze swept through their hair. It was calm, serene, and the dream of any couple. Any ordinary couple, at least.

"Robin, don't you think we should be getting out there and helping the villages?"

"Hmm…maybe, although I do believe your sister was doing a good job in leading the new Shepherds to protect everyone. I haven't heard of any bandit attacks since we got back from saving the outrealm six months ago."

"But…surely there is something for us to do?" Lucina held a look of determination rather than actual concern. She wasn't used to just sitting around doing nothing, she never had been. Even during their time together while Megan and Marth were still newborns, she had found ways to help her father in running Ylisse. Ever since they returned from the outrealm, Chrom seemed to have changed. He no longer involved Lucina in the running of the kingdom. Robin had told her multiple times not to worry about it, that Chrom had simply seen with his own eyes what she had to go through in the future and didn't want to put anymore duties on her. He also mentioned that Chrom was too hard headed to ever change his mind. Unfortunately, Lucina had inherited that trait as well. Robin leaned back on their bench that overlooked the lands surrounding their house on a hill. He let out a big sigh and ran his fingers through his white hair.

"Let's head into Ylisstol today. We can bring the twins, look around the market, and maybe just do something that isn't just sitting around. Besides, I have been wanting to check in on Marc. Last I heard, he was helping Frederick with training the new soldiers, especially with swords."

Lucina smiled giddily as she kissed Robin on his cheek, causing the tactician to blush and rub his head. She quickly got up to gather their things. The twins were currently taking a nap, so their trip would have to wait until they had awoken. That wouldn't stop her from being ready to go the second they woke up though. It only took about ten minutes for Lucina to have two bags packed for herself and Robin to carry into town, as well as have the double seated stroller they had bought in Ylisstol two years ago to carry the kids ready at the front door. Robin was busy getting dressed upstairs, so Lucina went up to help him out now that her preparations were done. She stopped when she got to the door, finding her husband wearing nothing but his smallclothes as he looked at his few outfits, a hand to his chin in thinking position. She never understood why he did this, since he almost always wore his coat from his time as a tactician, but she never complained since she found this situation particularly attractive. She walked up behind him and snaked her arms around his waist, pressing her cheek against the warm skin of his back.

"Hmm…I'm just not sure. I think I may go without the coat today" Robin said, completely unfazed by the act his wife was doing.

"Robin….how long do the twins normally nap for?" Lucina asked as she continued to nuzzle her husband's back. Robin switched from thinking about his clothes to the curious question she had asked.

"Uh, I believe around an hour and a half. Why?"

"And how long ago did they start to nap?" Lucina ignored Robin's question. He raised an eyebrow at this, not following where she was going.

"Well….it looks to be around noon now, and we put them down right after our tea, so I would say it has been about an hour"

Robin felt Lucina's face shift slightly, so he looked over his shoulder to see what was going on. He noticed a wicked grin out of the corner of his eye as he felt her hands moving around his waist.

"_Huh?...why is she….oh….OH…."_

* * *

Thirty minutes later, as if on a timer, Megan awoke and glanced around at the curious room. Half of it was pink, while the other half was blue. She was lying on a small mattress on the floor, as her legs still weren't quite long enough to reach the ground with a normal bed. Her brother was in a similar situation across the room. She looked around, her hair ruffled in a mess. She rubbed the sleep out of her brown eyes, then proceeded to stand on her short legs and walk towards her brother, prodding his shoulder.

"Marf? Marf? Marf?" The just-turned-three year old asked. Her brother mumbled in response before turning on his side to face her. His blue hair had been cut short, while hers now stretched halfway down her back. That and his blue eyes were the only contrasting features that the two had. Those, and the location of their exalt brands. Megan's was located on the back of her left hand, while Marth's was on his right shoulder. The young boy slowly sat up, then stared at his sister.

"What is it?" He asked his sister. Megan brought her small hand up to her chin. She seemed to be thinking on what the reason for waking her brother was. Finally, her eyes lit up as she remembered what she wanted.

"Where is Mommy? And Daddy?"

Marth also began to think. The toddlers knew that their parents were normally always there when they woke up. He decided they would investigate, so he walked over to the closed door with short strides. When he finally got there, he looked up to see the bane of the twins' existence.

_Doorknobs._

The wretched things were too high for either of them to get to, and they prevented them from finding their parents or being able to play whenever they wanted. They hated the things and had made a pinky promise between each other that when they were finally tall enough, they would banish all doorknobs from the house so they could go wherever they wanted. Then nobody would be able to stop the twins from conquering the playhouse that lay outside and they could control their parents. It seemed to them that each time they had gotten close to reaching the flag at the very top of the slide, one of their parents would grab them and bring them back to the cold hard earth. The twins quickly figured that the flag must be the source of their parents' authoritative powers, so they must get it to control everything.

"Sis! Climb my back to open dee door!" Marth commanded, then proceeded to curl his tiny body into a stepping stool for Megan. Megan nodded with a fierce determination and slowly stepped onto her brother's back, wobbling as she reached up to new heights and grasped her tiny fingers around the doorknob.

"Marf! I got it!" She exclaimed happily. With some work, she managed to figure its complex mechanics and turned it slightly, which caused the door to fly open with Megan hanging on for dear life.

"Marf! Help!" She yelled out. Marth was quickly at her side and held onto her so she could get down safely. They shared a big hug at their accomplishment, happy to have conquered such a vicious foe that had taunted them all their lives.

"Take dat you dumb door!" Megan cried out, pointing at the door and laughing. After their victory celebration, they turned and looked at the stairs which led to their parents' cavernous living space. Marth moved first, using both arms and legs to climb the steps one at a time. Megan followed, using her small body to move up the steps carefully. After about a minute, they emerged at the top to find their parents' door slightly ajar. They could hear panting coming from inside, but didn't know what to think of it. Megan slowly peaked her head into the door.

"Mommy? Daddy?"

Next came what sounded like a big crashing as their father fell out of the bed, a sheet wrapping around him as he fell. Their mother was still in the bed, a blanket wrapped tightly on her up to her neck. Megan walked over to where their father was sprawled out on the ground while Marth walked to his mother, noting all the clothing on the ground.

"Mommy, are you okay? You wook sick Mommy! And why is everyfing messy?" Marth questioned a heavily blushing and sweating Lucina, who seemed to be unable to answer at the moment. Robin was faring no better in front of Megan.

"Daddy! Are you okay? You fell and you have scratches on your back!" She yelled with quite a bit of concern, pointing to the nail marks on her father's back. Robin rubbed his head a little, fighting the blush that was ever present on his face.

"Uhh….well you see Megan, your mother and I were sparring for uh, preparation. Yes, that's it, we are heading into town today to fight with your brother and see how strong he is, but we needed to warm up first!" Robin smiled when he finished with his explanation, believing it to be flawless. He knew they both adored their older "siblings" and would stop any line of questioning when they were brought up. Sure enough, both of the twins' faces lit up at the mention of Marc.

"We get to see big brudda!?" Megan yelled. She went and grabbed Marth's hands and the two jumped around in a circle, doing their own version of a happy dance. Robin and Lucina both wore a big grin while watching their two little bluenettes dancing about. They could both feel all the love in their hearts for their two children that they loved so dearly.

"Alright! Hurry up, we want to see big brofer!" Marth yelled as he took off towards the stairs, Megan following close behind. Robin let out a big sigh and slowly got up from the floor, the sheet falling away to reveal he was wearing nothing underneath it.

"That certainly was close….I didn't realize we got so carried away. I guess we will just have to have a…finishing performance tonight. Let's hurry and get dressed before they come back" Robin reached a hand down and helped his wife from the bed, giving her a quick kiss before putting some clothes on.

The two came out fully clothed five minutes later to find their twins waiting for them at the foot of the stairs. Marth was wearing a small version of Lucina's battle gear, his favorite outfit. Megan wore a white dress that Lucina had fallen in love with while they were shopping in Ylisstol. Robin had stayed true to his word and was only wearing his black pants and a beige shirt that fit tightly on him. Lucina wore a white dress that matched Megan's, a fact that caused the little girl to let out an excited "Squeeee!"

"Mommy! We are matching!" She yelled, tugging on the hem of Lucina's dress. Lucina smiled and reached down, picking up her daughter and holding her with both arms.

"How observant Megan! I swear, you are going to be _way_ smarter than your father when you grow up" Lucina said excitedly with a grin. Robin muttered a comment about Morgan not being smarter than him almost inaudibly, causing Megan to grow confused at the mention of her big sister. Lucina simply kissed her forehead, causing the small girl to give up any confusion she had and melt into her mother's arms.

"Come on dear, we best get going if we want to make it there and back before sunset." Lucina said to Robin, who picked up both their bags and set Marth in the stroller, beginning their journey to Ylisstol.

* * *

The family arrived in the central marketplace about an hour later, both children growing excited in their stroller at all the wonderful lights and toys that the vendors carried around them. Robin was holding tightly onto his wife's hand as they looked around for either their son or the old knight of the royal family. They started moving towards the north end of the main road where the castle was, hoping to spot any familiar faces. There were still a good number of people wearing plegian robes to celebrate the great sacrificial hero, many not believing he had ever truly come back. Nobody bothered the family as they walked, as nobody recognized them. Some seemed to recognize Lucina, though if they did they never said anything. They quickly arrived at the castle gates, seeing more new guards patrolling the area. Robin approached one at the gate, who seemed to stiffen.

"Hey there, you wouldn't happen to know where Marc is, would you? The one that trains everyone in swordplay." The soldier seemed to think for a minute before replying.

"I believe he was summoned to the castle about some urgent matter an hour ago. I'm sorry but we have been instructed not to let anybody through. Please leave the area for now"

Robin chuckled, looking at the new face that no doubt had no idea who he was. The former tactician turned to look at his wife, giving her a look that told her to handle it. Lucina sighed, obviously not wanting to deal with this, but stepped forward to talk to the guard anyways.

"I believe my father will be happy to see me, and would be less than happy to know somebody was keeping the Exalt's daughter from entering the castle"

The guard seemed to freeze for a second, thinking over the information he was told. He then broke out in a panicked sweat.

"M-my apologies, Princess Lucina! Please, go in at once!" The guard then signaled the others to open the gates and allow the royal family to step through. Robin let out a whistle as they approached the castle entrance.

"My my, using your father's authoritative powers I see. I'm surprised you didn't just kick their-….beat them up" Robin corrected himself before saying something he would regret in front of their children. Lucina turned and gave him a small punch to the shoulder, causing him to give a fake showing of pain. They continued on to find Chrom, Marc, Frederick and Morgan sitting around a table, Chrom giving them some kind of military report. The report was interrupted by the yelling and running of two three year olds.

"Big brudda!"

"Big sis!"

Marth tackled his older self while Megan tackled hers. The two time travelers gave big smiles and hugged their other selves. Marc had taken a few days to get used to the entire concept, but he eventually accepted it and started loving the twins much like Morgan did.

"Hey everyone, sorry if we are intruding" Robin said as he and Lucina joined everyone at the table.

"No, we were just going over a message we received this morning. You two will probably want to hear this too. A letter came from the outrealm from Lucina, and it was telling us they had banished Grima for good using Tiki's power. Apparently some of the energy that their Robin had was fused with Falchion and allowed them to strike down the beast with its own power. Since then, all of the Risen have disappeared from the land and life has returned to normal. They spent the last six months rebuilding Ylisstol and have since begun working on all of Ylisse. They have created a new band of Shepherds and began scouring the land, finding survivors here and there. The total population is still only at about one hundred people, but it is enough to begin life anew. The last piece of the message mentioned she was to marry Gerome soon, and hopefully a royal successor would come soon after so that they can ensure the Exalted bloodline is continued. They have high hopes for the future and cannot thank us enough for our help. It seems that everything has worked exactly as Naga hoped" Chrom finished the debriefing with a smile, along with Lucina tearing up at the thought of the world they had saved. She had often thought of their lost future as her greatest failure, but ever since they had saved the outrealm, she felt like she truly had made a difference. Robin gave her hand a tight squeeze, letting her know he was there for her, which then caused her to fall into his shoulder. The table held a few celebrations from everyone before quieting back down. Robin turned his attention back to Marc.

"So Marc, how has life been here in Ylisstol? I know we don't get to see each other much, but I'm glad we were able to get you back here" Marc grinned at his father's words.

"Everything has been great! I think I might be able to beat mother in a duel now, and am hoping she will spar with me tonight" He said as he looked towards Lucina. She gave him a small nod, causing him to do a big fist pump.

"What about you Morgan? How is being the grandmaster of the Ylissean troops?"

"Perfect of course! I get my own room with Yarne and we have been keeping all the bandits out with the help of Cynthia! Country relations are better than ever! Father, why don't we play a game of chess tonight while Marc and Mother spar?" She asked with big, round eyes. Robin laughed and gave her a nod, while the younger twins gave a cheer at getting to see their older siblings and parents competing against each other. They both knew which competition they were going to watch as well. Megan would watch her older self while Marth watched his, both confident their parents would be on the losing side. Suddenly, Morgan stood up from the table and began walking off towards the entrance to the dining hall. Everyone turned to find the male taguel at the door, visibly shaking for some reason. Robin was still a little unhappy at the boy for taking his daughter away, but he figured it couldn't be helped. That still didn't stop him from clenching his fists though.

"Right! So let's say we meet back up here in say, an hour?" She spoke with a strange nervousness that wasn't like her. Robin raised an eyebrow but nodded. Everyone's attention was now on the grandmaster and her husband.

"Alright, awesome!" She turned away from them and started pushing Yarne out of the door, stopping just before they were all the way out of the dining hall.

"Oh and uh….Father!"

"Yes?" Robin asked with a confused voice. Morgan stood there for a few seconds, her face bright red.

"Umm….I'm pregnant! RUN YARNE RUN!" Morgan yelled and pushed her husband out the door, both of them sprinting through the castle as fast they could, leaving behind a very shocked Robin and Lucina. Chrom was on the floor laughing, both young twins weren't sure what was happening, and Marc looked on with a great unease as his mother tried holding onto his father's arm. Robin's face slowly grew red and he reached for the Levin sword strapped to his waist.

"Robin! Think this through, remember what we promised father! We can't do anything hasty!" Lucina begged her husband and then turned for help from the Exalt, who offered no such thing.

"Get back here Yarne! We have some things to discuss!" And with that, the ex-tactician took off full speed after where his daughter had gone, large amounts of lightning crackling down his sword. Lucina hesitated for a second to glare angrily at her father, then took off after her husband. Chrom wiped tears away from his eyes, mild chuckles still escaping his mouth. He looked down at the toddlers, Marc, and then finally at Frederick.

"Well that was certainly better than I had hoped. We best get going Frederick, I have a feeling there might be some rabbit stew tonight if we don't do something"

The great knight nodded and the two left the room, leaving just Marc to watch the young twins, who were now grabbing his arms, frightened at what was happening. Marc let out a sigh and stood up from the table.

"I guess we should go too. Let's go you two"

And with that, they all left to hopefully stop Robin before there was one less taguel in the world.

* * *

**A/N: Hey there everyone. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, things certainly calmed down after the Future Past arc, so now we get back to the craziness of Robin and Lucina's life. And by craziness, I mean fluff and borderline M rated things that I continue to walk the line of. For those who have not seen it, **_**The Beginning of Life**_** Chapter 3 was published yesterday. The story is still in its serious stage, but it is beginning to get into the comedy portions you all know and love. It just takes time for the Robin and Chrom broship to develop and we don't get any awkward Robin until Lucina shows up. Well, at least in theory. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and the surprise at the end. Thank you for all of the reviews on the last chapter! I love seeing feedback!**

**Boret- I will have Chrom ripping off plenty of speeches, so don't worry about just one reference. There will be plenty to come. Glad you noticed it though.**

**Nintend101- I have gotten a few requests for another Lucina pregnancy arc, but honestly it would just be the same stuff as the last pregnancy arc. So now Morgan is pregnant. And I can tell you it will be a vastly different arc than the Lucina's. Thank you for your support! I probably wouldn't say this is the best story, there are plenty of others I have read that I think are better, but I am glad you think so!**

**EuclidWriter- I hope I answered those questions in this chapter! This chapter was meant to bring a bit more closure and set up for the Morgan pregnancy arc, so I hope everything met expectation!**

**WhiteAxolotl- I will be sure to write in something of that sort next chapter! Thank you for the idea! I was actually going to work it into this chapter, but decided to use this as a set up chapter.**

**Antex-I hope I cleared up some of the questions you had on Marc and brought a bit of closure to the Future Past Arc!**

**Gokart- Believe me, the end result you saw in their interactions were far, FAR tamer than what they originally were. There were jokes on threesomes, some cat fighting, and a bunch of other ridiculous stuff. But I decided that would be a bit strange for interactions on a battle field, so maybe those unpublished things will become a one shot story of its own at some point.**

**Thank you for everyone's support, and I just want to give a quick shout out to 40k views! Thank you everyone who is giving this story a chance! Until next time,**

**Austin**


	21. Dark Memories

**Chapter 21: Dark Memories**

Lucina sat against the headboard, her knees tucked to her chest with her arms wrapped around her legs. She held a sad smile as she buried her chin between her knees. She sat in the dark, quiet house. Robin had taken the twins out to Ylisstol so that she could have a girl's day at the house. Unfortunately, nobody would arrive at their house for another hour. Lucina's greatest fear was being alone, as it brought back the painful memories of the years while Robin was gone. Recently, they had found out their daughter was pregnant, leading to a big rabbit chase between Robin and Yarne. When Robin finally caught him, he was able to be talked down by Morgan and Lucina, so all Yarne got was a warning about hurting his daughter before Robin resigned to congratulate them, letting out a sigh to speak the unspoken words of his daughter growing up too fast. Lucina smiled at the memory and the big hug Morgan had given both of them once the two had Robin's approval. But now it seemed so far away. A few months had passed since that day. Morgan's stomach had expanded much like Lucina's had, but that didn't stop her energetic nature. Yarne tried to keep her in the house as much as possible, but she still managed to get outside every day to explore Ylisstol, play with the children of the city, and do her duties as the grandmaster of Ylisse, even though Chrom had already given her time off. The spirit of her daughter made Lucina's heart swell with pride and she only hoped she could raise Megan and Marth to be the same as their older selves. But now, in the dark of the house, the same memory kept arising in her mind. A dark memory that would continue to haunt her whenever she was all alone. A memory of one of her darkest hours.

* * *

Lucina laid in her bed, surrounded by darkness. Judging by the moon outside her window, it was close to midnight. Morgan had left their room earlier that week to start training with Frederick and living temporarily in the barracks, most likely to get her mind off the disappearance of her father. Robin had decided to put himself behind the fate of the world and sacrifice himself so that Grima would never bring about pain and suffering again. Unfortunately the tactician made a blunder in that assumption. The disappearance of a man leaves ripples across their friends and lovers. The Shepherds were torn apart by his disappearance and all of Ylisse, Regna Ferox and Valm mourned his death for a month. After that, the effect varied by individual. Chrom had lost all playfulness he once had, Virion and Gaius resigned from the Shepherds, and Morgan spent every day either locked in their room reading or outside training. But nobody took it harder than Lucina. She stayed in bed all day, refusing to eat unless forced. She had cried until there were no more tears left in her. She was a broken figure compared to the stoic princess she was before. She couldn't stand having lost the love of her life. She had held hope before that he would come back, but as a year ticked by that hope began to die. By the end of the second year, she was sick of being where she was. She loved Morgan with all of her heart, but each time she saw her she couldn't help but think of him. The resemblance was uncanny. The same coat, eyes and facial features, as well as the high intellect of the girl. Lucina found she was starting to become unable to even look at the girl without her heart breaking. And so, in the dead of night, she decided it was time to take action. She had packed up all her belongings earlier into a backpack and placed it hidden under her bed. Now that night had come, she slowly rose out of bed and took up her backpack. She exited the room, turning at the door to give one last long stare at the bed that was supposed to be hers and Robin's. Life wasn't fair though, and would rip what you loved most out of your hands when you thought all was safe.

Tears filled her eyes as she shut the bedroom door for the last time, stepping out into the hallway and trying not to make a sound. She had left a note on the bed explaining why she had to leave, so she only had one thing left to do. She stepped silently through the castle, quickly approaching the door she was searching for. She turned the doorknob slowly and opened the door, anxiously waiting for any noise. When none came, she let out the breath she was holding and walked into the room. In the corner sat a small bed with a young three year old girl. Lucina walked over and gently scooped her into her arms. She stared at the sleeping form of her younger self and tears began to well in her eyes. She knew she had to do this. She would exile herself so that the younger Lucina could live a normal life, a life where her older self didn't interfere. She would find life elsewhere, likely in Valm, searching for Robin or at the very least leaving behind any troubles she had brought to her family. She always felt like a burden laying in her bed, not contributing at all. But here that would all end. She leaned down and kissed the young girl on the forehead. In a broken voice, almost inaudibly, she said only a few words.

"Yours….will be a happy future…."

And then she was gone. She ran through the castle, tears trailing behind her. She didn't care if anybody heard her now. She was going to escape, leave behind the burdens of the past. She may not be able to forget him in her heart, but she would do her best to make herself be more than just a burden in the castle. She ran through the front door, gasping in the cold night air. She was wearing her normal fighting gear and forgot a coat, so the chill seeped into her clothing and turned her skin cold. She brought her arms close to her chest in an attempt to warm herself. To make matters worse, a crack of lightning flew across the sky, signaling the start of a storm. Lucina stared at the night sky and decided it was best that she ensured her survival. She turned back and ran into the castle, flying through the halls. She emerged into her bedroom again. Scrambling to the closet, she threw it open and quickly found what she was looking for; one of Robin's spare coats. She had frequently held onto them during her time at the castle, so much so that his scent slowly faded from them, much to her despair. She had decided it was best to leave the coats behind so that she could try to forget the painful memories, but her heart wouldn't allow it. She threw the coat on over herself and drew the hood up over her eyes, sprinting back out of the castle.

She emerged back into the night air, this time with the absence of a chill and the presence of a downpour. The coat was specially designed to reject water, so she would not have to worry about getting soaked in the rain. She also knew the rain would mask her departure, allowing her to easily escape into the night. She ran and ran, all the while gripping tightly to the hood of Robin's old coat. Once she was outside the city walls, she stopped to catch her breath, stopping still when an old memory suddenly hit her. Robin's scent was coming from inside the coat, having somehow survived the years of being stuck in the closet. Lucina's eyes began to water again and tears dripped down her face, matching the rainfall around her. She sunk down to her knees, gripping onto the coat tightly, feeling a mixture of emotions within her.

"Oh gods….Robin…why!? Why did you have to go!? You….you promised! You promised we would always be together! I can't….I can't do this without you….you have been my strength in this world….please Robin…." Lucina's voice faltered and she simply sat there and cried to herself, her heart once again torn due to the absence of a certain tactician. She noticed a light making its way out of the city walls and scrambled to her feet, trying to get away but a familiar voice called out to her.

"Wait! That coat….father is that you!?"

It was Morgan. Lucina stopped dead in her tracks. She didn't want to run away and give Morgan the false impression that Robin had returned, but she also knew that she would never be able to leave if she looked at her daughter at this moment. She stood there lost in thought until she felt a hand remove her hood.

"M-mother? What are you doing out here? Why are you crying?" Morgan asked, her voice full of concern. Lucina tried to answer but found her voice wouldn't work, so instead she wrapped the girl in a tight hug. Morgan quickly hugged her back and the two women stood there for few minutes without a word.

"Mother….I miss father too….but we have to be strong, together" Morgan finally spoke up, her voice hoarse. Lucina knew she would figure out what was happening, Morgan was as intelligent as her father. Tears fell from both their eyes as they stood in each other's embrace. Lucina knew she wouldn't be able to leave now, not after what just happened. She could only hope her husband decided to return soon. She slowly nodded to Morgan as her voice still had not come back and walked back to the city walls, an arm wrapped around her daughter.

* * *

"Lucina? Are you okay?"

A voice and a warm embrace slowly brought Lucina out of the memory. She slowly began to get her bearings. She was still curled into a ball on the bed, but two arms were now holding her tight with her head pressed against their chest. The scent was all she needed to know who it was. She smiled slightly and proceeded to let the tears that were waiting to fall get their wish. She cried into his chest for a few minutes, with no words passing between the two. Robin held her close and stroked her hair, letting her know he was always there. When she had calmed down, he used one hand to tilt her chin up and the other to gently wipe the tears away from her eyes. He smiled warmly.

"It isn't becoming of a beautiful princess to cry while the poor boy is away" He said with a small laugh. Lucina also choked out a laugh, her throat sore from sobbing. Lucina shook her head and buried herself into his coat, laying on top of him and wrapping the cloth around herself. She listened to his heartbeat and breathing while he simply rubbed her back lightly. Before she knew it, she fell fast asleep.

Lucina was awoken by the sound of knocking on the front door. She was laying on the bed with no sign of Robin. She wiped all remnants of tears from her face and left the room, stopping only as she noticed flowers and a note on the bedside table. She picked up the note and couldn't help but smile at the message.

_Lucina,_

_I hope whatever nightmares you were having have since disappeared. I had a strange feeling that something bad was happening while in Ylisstol so I rushed back. Please dear, I am always with you. Nothing will ever keep us apart again. I had to go again and make sure the twins don't burn down all of Ylisstol, especially since I left them with Frederick. Thinking on it, that probably was a poor decision. Enjoy your nap and please have fun tonight, you truly deserve it. If Yarne is there, give him a good smack on the head for me. I'll be back with dinner tonight. I love you my dearest._

_Love always,_

_Robin_

Lucina held the note to her chest and took in the sight of the flowers. Robin was always thinking of her and wanted the best for her, and she always wanted to reciprocate those actions. She made a quick mental note of making dinner special and set off to welcome her guests.

She opened the door to find Morgan, Lissa, Sumia, Olivia, and Cherche waiting for her. She welcomed them all in happily, but in the back of her mind she knew what was about to happen in Ylisstol now that the boys were left alone. She let out a silent sigh and went back to retrieve the tea she had made before her nap, listening to the happy chatter of the girls.

* * *

"Thank you so much, we will be back before sundown!" Robin said gratefully to the royal babysitter of the Ylissean castle. The twins were now being carried in her arms, meaning Robin was free to explore the city. More specifically, it meant he was about to get extremely drunk. He ran out of the castle to find Lon'qu, Vaike, Gregor, Gaius, Chrom and Virion waiting for him.

"Finally! Teach was getting thirsty!" Vaike yelled with a slight irritation. Robin snapped his fingers that sent an electric bolt at the warrior's feet, causing a yelp to escape his lips and everybody else to burst out laughing. Robin took the lead of the group and they all entered a bar they had frequented in their younger days called the _Sword and Tome Tavern_. The owner, a kindly old man with a thick black mustache that went by the name of Luigi welcomed them back after such a long absence.

"Gregor says we are making with the drinking!" Gregor yelled as he lifted four tankards of ale from behind the counter. Luigi had long since learned never to interfere when the mercenary got going, so he simply kept a tab going while he watched their antics.

"Easy there Gramps, don't want you passing out on us that early" Gaius said as he stuck a lollipop in his mouth. Gregor shrugged with a tired look.

"Who are you calling Gramps? Gregor is but young man, and young man can drink much ale without his lights going out"

"Ah, the most exquisite wines for me, I do not drink as these brutes do" Virion spoke in his flowery voice as he plucked two bottles of red wine from the shelved of the bar.

"Who you calling a brute!" Vaike said between gulps of Feroxi whiskey, each sip making him increasingly drunk. Robin shook his head as he picked up a tankard of rum that came from the Plegain coast and grabbed two mugs for himself and Chrom. Lon'qu had already grabbed them all a table and was busy shuffling cards. He himself settled for a bubbling concoction that had no alcohol but rather lots of sugar, as he didn't enjoy causing an altered state of mind. The rest of the men took their seats, with Gaius looking inquisitively at Lon'qu's drink. Robin swore that man could smell sugar from a mile away.

"So what's the game?" Chrom finally asked as he poured the rum into his mug. Lon'qu gave a faint smile.

"Strip poker. Loser has to run to the castle and back before they can put their clothes back on"

The other men groaned at the particular choice of game, but they knew they were getting drunk anyways so it was likely at least one of them was going to end up streaking even without the game.

"Alright, but each time you fold, you have to drain your cup" Vaike yelled, already slightly tipsy as evidenced by his slightly slurred words. Gregor let out a big laugh.

"Gregor accepts! Let the game begin!"

Many bottles of alcohol later, the seven men sat around the table. Robin and Lon'qu still had most of their clothes, but the rest of them weren't faring so well. Chrom and Vaike were down to their smallclothes, Gregor had decided to take his smallclothes off first, Gaius had stopped playing the game and started mixing the sugary concoction with different alcohols, trying to find a right mix, and Virion was in just his cravat and pants. Right now Vaike and Chrom were staring each other down, the rest of the men having folded. The glared at each other for a few moments.

"For all da marblessss" Vaike struggled to say. Chrom did a long, exaggerated nod. The two men threw down their cards at the same time. Robin peered over to see who the winner was and couldn't help but laugh.

"Looks like Ylisstol will get treated by their Exalt tonight" Lon'qu said as he looked at Vaike's four of a kind and Chrom's simple one pair. Chrom let out a big groan and walked towards the door of the bar, stopping to rip his smallclothes off and throw them at Vaike, hitting him right in the face. The Exalt then ran out the door with the rest of the men quickly dressing and following outside to watch. Sure enough, there were quite a few screams from the ladies and guards that looked confused on what to do as they watched their leader run by in the nude. They all burst out laughing as Chrom turned back from the castle and stumbled back to them. Robin felt he hadn't had this kind of fun in years, not since before the fight with Grima. He decided they would all have to get together more often.

As the afternoon wound down, Robin looked around the bar at the destruction they had caused. Most of the men were passed out on the floor with only Gregor, Robin and Lon'qu still standing. Robin walked over to Luigi and put down enough gold to cover their bill two times over and left, realizing he had to get back to Lucina soon with dinner. He stopped by a food vendor and picked up a large family meal, then left Ylisstol, hurrying his way to his home. He got there in time to see all the guests leaving. He gave them a wave and Morgan a big hug, then found his way to the couch after putting the food on the counter of the kitchen. He was ready to pass out when he heard a tapping noise. He opened one eye to see Lucina standing there, hands on her hips and tapping her foot with a very angry look.

"Huh?" was all Robin could get out. Lucina gave him a frightening smile.

"Robin, where are the twins?"

Robin's eyes burst open as he realized his blunder. He grabbed his coat again and sprinted out of the house, passing by the group of laughing ladies on his way out. Lucina giggled and shook her head as she looked out the door.

"See mother? I told you he would forget something" Morgan yelled back with a big grin.

"He certainly can forget his promises sometimes, though he always makes up for it in some way or another" Lucina said as she fondly remembered what had transpired earlier that afternoon. She shrugged and reentered the house, sitting on the chair as she once again waited for her husband to return.

* * *

**A/N: Shout out to WhiteAxolotl for the idea that became this chapter. I thought it would be a short flashback but it turned into an entire chapter. It is a bit of a change of pace, but I hope you all enjoyed it just the same. In other news, I recently started a new story called The Exalt Bride, an adaptation of The Princess Bride featuring Robin and Lucina. You should go check it out, it is very insane but will have quite a few fantastic moments that I am excited for. I would say it has about the same amount of craziness the chapter 12 of this story has. It has started a bit dark, but it will brighten up soon. Thank you for everybody's support, and another shout out to Polar333 for being the 100****th**** favorite for this story. Thank you to everyone who has followed or favorited this story! Reviews time!**

**Magnus- thank you, I hope my strange humor continues to make you laugh.**

**ODST-Don't feel bad, at least you followed it now. And there is still plenty to come, this story will not be ending soon, hopefully it remains as good as you have seen it as!**

**Guest-I can do that, though we will see if I ever actually get around to pairing Marc up. I suppose I can do a Dad/Son dating chapter with Robin giving date advice.**

**Nintend-He just went through some brief insanity, nothing too crazy. After all, who could stay mad at Morgan?**

**Legionary-He sure did, though he didn't have the same severe reaction. That promise he made to Chrom came back and helped ensure that.**

**Antex-Haha, don't worry I made sure he didn't. It was tough, that tactician has a lot of fight in him. But I was able to control him a bit. Thanks for the continued support and I'm glad I could answer some questions about the Future Past Arc.**

**Thank you everybody, I am really loving the increase in reviews, it helps to write these chapters more quickly. Again, go check out The Exalt Bride! Until next time,**

**Austin**


	22. Crisis

**Chapter 22: Crisis**

Robin stretched his arms over his head and gazed lazily out his window. He was back in his old office at the Ylissean castle, stepping in during a time of crisis. Not an "end of the world" type of crisis, but a political one that Chrom decided he needed Robin's help on. In truth, Robin really wasn't needed, it was more so the Exalt's hatred of political matters that he decided to call on the tactician for help. Morgan had just given birth to a baby boy that her and Yarne named Hector in hopes that he would grow up to be as strong as the legendary hero. Because of this, she had the entire year off to begin raising the child. Chrom went to Robin once the political crisis broke out, but the tactician immediately rejected the call for help. It wasn't until Chrom offered to buy Morgan a new home and pay for all of Hector's future schooling did Robin finally give in.

Now the tactician sat at his large light brown wooden desk that faced a grand window looking over Ylisstol. In front of him were many papers with different headlines, all of which discussed Plegia. Inside sources that Chrom had placed in the Plegian government were reporting suspicious activity of a small faction of civilians that had joined together to reform the monarchy. They called themselves the True King Faction, and their only wish was to bring a proper Plegian blooded noble to power in the form of the king. The sources hinted that there was believed to be a bastard born son of Gangrel's within the faction, though nothing else was known. Now Regna Ferox and Valm had called upon the Exalt for an emergency meeting to discuss action with the Plegian parliament and their elected leader, Abraham. Chrom would attend the meeting, but first Flavia had asked him to prepare a plan for dealing with the faction. After which Chrom turned to Morgan, who happily reminded him of her time off, which brought him to Robin. Now Robin was responsible for coming up with both a diplomatic plan and a military plan in case the True King Faction turns violent.

The tactician sighed and drummed his fingers along the desk. He could easily come up with a military strategy once he decided to put forth the effort and the diplomatic solution most likely wouldn't take more than a few hours, but he could not concentrate at the moment. All his thoughts were of his whole family and how everyone was doing. Robin was glad that Yarne and Marc were in the family now as they could help protect the women he loves when he could not be there. It was especially good since the tactician was aging and past his prime when he was one of the best soldiers on the entire continent. But that was all before he sacrificed himself. Since his return, his powers have not been near as strong as they once were, and he couldn't help but think of the old voice within his soul that used to haunt him while Grima still lived in the world. A knock on his door pulled his attention back into the real world.

"Grandmaster, sir, I have brought your tea" A young maid spoke while staying outside the door, waiting on his word to come in. He lazily waved a hand up to signal her, muttering a slight thanks as he reentered the depths of his mind. The tea was hot and made to relax him, most likely Sumia's doing, but he had never found himself able to relax while thinking strategy. Still, he couldn't help but smirk when he thought of his mother-in-law's constant efforts to help him.

"Hmm…a nation in turmoil once again, with a faction whose whereabouts are currently unknown, and a high risk for attacks on both the Plegian and Ylissean governments soon… how should we go about this…" Robin spoke to himself as he stared into the teacup. It was truly a difficult situation. Ylisse couldn't just invade Plegia in an attempt to find the faction, as the Plegians would see it as an act of war. And if they simply told them their reason for invading, other loyalists to the Plegain monarchy might see this as Ylisse admitting to fearing the True King Faction and join them, making the group's numbers rise. In any case, any military action would have to include a small group that used stealth to find and eliminate the faction's leaders.

Robin let out a groan and pinched the bridge of his nose, fighting back a headache he was getting. With a big sigh, he went back over the diplomacy issues in his head. He had already thought of a thousand different military strategies that guaranteed success, but very few could minimalize diplomatic repercussions. He was still trying to think of a way to peacefully reach out to the faction and find a solution without military intervention. Robin stared out the window once again before letting out a sigh and deciding to take a rest in his old room, which might help his brain create new solutions.

Robin's old room was a small corner room in the depths of the castle containing nothing but a simple bed, desk and oil lamp. There was no window in the room so the only light source available was the small lamp that barely lit the desk. Robin had requested this room when Chrom insisted he stay at the castle following the war against Gangrel. A smile crept on his face as memories of interacting with his old comrades made their way into his mind. He froze in place, keeping one hand on his old desk as he thought of the many documents he read over, the maps and strategy books he studied, and the many games of chess he played against whoever would play. He really did enjoy his time here, despite the cramped spacing of the room. That was most likely the happiest he had been with the Shepherds prior to when he began courting Lucina.

With a smile on his face, Robin slowly slid into his bed, his thoughts drifting between many things. Lissa had stopped by their house to visit with Lucina and the twins whilst Robin worked as Grandmaster this week. Marc had gone out on an expedition in Valm with a small band of soldiers, acting as surveyors and ambassadors to different countries that had yet to join the Ylissean Coalition. It was said he had possibly found a girl he was interested in over there, but those messages only seemed to reach his mother, not father. Morgan was currently caring for Hector, and all the other Shepherds were living the lives they had chosen since the war. It was a nice peace they had found for the past decade or so. Robin's mind once again drifted to the issue of the True King Faction before falling into unconsciousness.

* * *

Robin awoke as the sun was well into its descent. As he looked out the window in the hallways next to his room, he estimated it to be approaching six in the evening. He was allowed to leave at eight every night to return to Lucina and the twins, so he set his goal to finish a solution to the True King Faction within the next two hours. He went to work and was able to figure out a way to lure the True King Faction out into the open via a hearing in order to at least get a count on their numbers and leaders. From there, it would be much easier to plan a specific diplomatic strategy, otherwise they would simply be grasping at straws. This all took an hour, so Robin was left with an hour of time to kill. He followed the hallway to the stairwell and made his descent to the dining hall, where he found the Exalt by himself. He strode across the hall and took the seat across from Chrom.

"I finally finished that proposal. It took long enough and isn't permanent, but I think it will be enough for the time being" Robin said as he leaned back in his chair, finally noticing his exhaustion from the past hour of work. Chrom continued eating his small dinner, displaying little interest in the subject.

"Yeah, that is good. I really can't stand all this politics and diplomacy. It makes me yearn for the days when we had the Shepherds and went around with action. Though, I know Emm would prefer it this way. Maybe it is for the best that I hung up Falchion" Chrom said as he stared into space. Robin took a deep sigh and looked up to the ceiling.

"It certainly would be exciting to get everybody back together again for a campaign. Maybe someday soon we can invite everyone back for an adventure. If the solution doesn't work and the True King Faction makes a move, that could also leave us with no choice but to attack. I have already prepared countless strategies for that, in case you were wondering" Robin said with a dry chuckle. He enjoyed putting together winning battle strategies, as it worked his brain in ways nothing else could. But he hated putting his comrade's lives on the line. Because of that, he always felt a mix of emotions during war planning.

"Wouldn't that be something, the old dogs of war coming out for a final hunt?" Chrom seemed to be daydreaming of the battles of old as he spoke. Robin smirked at a thought.

"True, though it would be a bigger crowd pleaser if the leader of the Shepherds was the Natural Exalt"

Chrom turned a shade of red and buried his head in his hands.

"I really shouldn't have allowed that. Now all the civilians have seen me at my worst and came up with that awful nickname. I'm never drinking with you again"

"You think that, but it will never be true" Robin said slyly as he slipped a bottle of wine from one of the folds of his cloak, setting it on the table and signaling a waitress to bring two glasses. Chrom let out a groan.

"You always know how to work your case, huh? Very well, but only a few glasses tonight. I don't want anything else to happen to me this week"

* * *

Robin stood from the table, the Exalt passed out in front of him. In the end, Chrom consumed a considerable amount of alcohol and ended up blacking out, while the tactician held himself to only two glasses. With a smirk, he turned towards the castle doors and made his exit.

As Robin left the castle, a messenger sprinted from the main road straight at him. The man's look was simply pure terror.

"GRANDMASTER! THERE HAS BEEN AN INCIDENT!"

The man's frantic way of speaking caused Robin to be on edge. Could the True King Faction be stirring up trouble at the borders already? The messenger nervously unrolled a scroll and read it to Robin.

"This is from General Cordelia, it reads: Lucina has been abducted by the True King Faction! A group of fifty men led by Lucifer Plegiana, the son of Gangrel Plegiana, invaded your home this past hour. Lucina fought hard, but ultimately allowed her capture for the safety of Lissa, Megan and Marth. This is a Level-1 emergency, and the troops have been sent a summons to the barracks, awaiting your orders. A messenger has also been sent to Chrom and Frederick. Please act quickly, your children are safe. I am sorry I could not get there in time."

Robin's eyes were soulless. He felt despair building within him. Lucina had been captured. He dropped to his knees and stared up at the sky, his white hair covering his eyes. The messenger quickly ran from the man, not wanting to face the Grandmaster's wrath, as he used to be the strongest fighter in all of Ylisse, according to legend. The tactician's mind raced while doubt and grief filled him. And along with all of those emotions, rage built up. The rage churned in his stomach, bringing forth a power long forgotten. A power that fed off anger and feelings of despair. For the first time in many years, black flames began surrounding Robin's fists as dark magic coursed through his veins. He was surprised, but not unhappy. This power brought him back to his old standard, and more importantly, it gave him the power to rescue Lucina all on his own. Robin slowly stood up and let his anger explode with one word.

"LUCIFER!"

* * *

**A/N: I'm baaaaaack. Sorry for such a long delay, my schedule got pretty hectic and even now my update speed will likely be slower than what it was. As the story begins to wind down, it is time to get into the more intense story arcs and I believe the True King Faction arc is a good way to start out. We will get to see some intense Robin action, and some future Lucina action (hint hint), along with some good old fashioned Shepherd ass kicking. I hope you are prepared for some intense fighting, because Robin sure is angry. This chapter is a bit shorter mainly because I wanted to use it as a bit of telling where everyone is and setting up the new villains. Review time!**

**RulerOfHere- True true, Chrom isn't very good at just leaving Lucina alone, as seen in this story and will be seen in the prequel's later chapters. He has some spacing problems.**

**Allen Vth- Hopefully you don't quit after just that chapter, there is plenty more cringe moments to come with Robin and his "good ideas" in this story. Thank you for all the reviews and giving this story a try!**

**Nintend101- Robin's mother will eventually be addressed in the prequel**

**Guest- Unfortunately, I have not played Fates nor do I want any possibility of looking at spoilers of the games, so the likelihood of that chapter happening is low unless I do an extra chapter later on, as I will likely have finished this story by the time I pay Fates.**

**Magnus- No, no he will not. He will forever be the Natural Exalt.**

**Strider- I'm glad you enjoyed it, I may add some more chapters about the time between Robin's sacrifice and his return in the prequel chapter, as it is an interesting topic to write about. Or I may just do a whole other story about it.**

**Antex- I guess it is good that chapter mixed multiple emotions, it had a bit of something for everyone. I definitely wanted to end the chapter with a more upbeat note, as opposed to just having a depressing chapter.**

**Keep the reviews coming, I sure love seeing them in my inbox! Thank you everybody! Next chapter we will get a bit of Lucina's perspective on what went down at their house along with the beginning of Robin's rescue operation. Until next time,**

**Austin**


	23. Revelations

**Chapter 23: Revelations**

In Plegia's deserts, there were many vast cave systems that opened up through small openings in the rock formations. If a foreigner were to see the entrance to a cave, they would pass it off as a small fissure no deeper than a few meters. In one such opening, a winding stone stairwell had been carved that descended deep into the underground. The stairwell ended in a large opening that was currently being used as a meeting hall. The hall then had many passageways that led to more rooms, dead ends, and descents into the darkness. Anybody that didn't know the layout would be lost easily in the twists and turns. It was the perfect place to avoid discovery as well as prevent people from escaping. In one of the many rooms, a lonely blue haired woman was laying on some hay that had been brought down from the outside world. A single candle provided light in the otherwise pitch black room. The walls were stone that had been worn down by an underground stream long ago. Her Falchion had been confiscated, but other than that her captors trusted the maze of the caves to keep her from escaping. She was not assigned a guard, and was only interacted with on occasion when she was brought food. Letting out a sigh, Lucina stared up at the ceiling and thought back on the events that brought her here.

* * *

Lucina smiled as she listened to the squeals coming from Mark and Megan as they played with their aunt. Lissa had stopped by to see everyone, but unfortunately Robin had to go to work with Chrom and wouldn't be back until later in the evening. She was showing the twins all sorts of tricks that she used to use on all the Shepherds during their campaigns, causing Lucina to sigh, knowing that these same tricks would start being put on her and Robin. The blue haired princess was currently preparing some dinner for all of them, a simple stew made from rabbits Robin had caught and a few vegetables they had grown. A knock at the door interrupted all the noise that came from Lissa and the twins. Lucina glanced up, trying to think who could be visiting.

"I'll get it!" Lissa yelled as she ran towards the door, thinking that Robin had gotten off work early. She threw the door open with a smile, but her face slowly dropped as she saw a stranger in front of her. It was a skinny man that was about as tall as Robin. He wore a red coat over a black undershirt. His long red hair had been pushed back so it all gathered and flowed down his neck. His smile he wore promised sinister intentions. Lissa sensed a tremendous evil coming from this individual and took a step back in response. The man's red eyes pierced into hers as two men came from hiding on either side of the door. Both men were large brutes, more muscular than even Vaike. One grabbed Lissa, who let out a yelp. The other walked over to the two toddlers and picked both of them up. Lucina reached behind her, looking for any weapon to defend herself, her eyes wide while taking in the scene before her.

"My name is Lucifer. I have been searching for a certain set of people that I wish to fight, and I believe your lot to contain a few of them" The man with red eyes spoke. Lucina racked her brain as the name had a certain familiarity to it. Seeing the struggle on her face, Lucifer chuckled to himself and pulled a sword that was concealed in his coat.

"I am the son of Gangrel Plegiana, the rightful heir to the throne. But to be honest, I have no interest in politics. I only have two goals in life. I wish to kill the man that killed my father, and I wish to prove myself as the strongest in the world"

Lucina gasped. The pieces finally fell into place. She had heard her father and her husband speaking of the crises involving some faction in Plegia, and they had mentioned the name Lucifer. However, it seemed their concerns were different from what was true. They worried for this man wanting to take the throne and invading Ylisse, but in reality he had no such aspirations. The true danger seemed to lie in the lives of the Shepherds, mainly whoever killed Gangrel. However, Lucina wasn't there when Gangrel was killed, so she did not know who had dealt the final blow.

"Who is it that killed Gangrel?" Lucina asked. Lucifer laughed lightly while Lissa's face grew pale.

"There is only one reason why we would come to this house. Who do you think killed Gangrel? It was none other than the legendary tactician, Robin" The brute holding Megan and Mark replied. Lucina grew pale, losing her grip on the knife she was holding behind her back. If Robin came home now, he would surely be killed in a surprise attack. Lucina couldn't make a move, since anything wrong she did could endanger the lives of her aunt and her children. She thought about what Robin would do in this situation and eventually reached a conclusion.

"Release Lissa and the children and take me as hostage instead" Lucina spoke stoically. Lissa tried to intervene, but Lucina held up a hand to hush her. Lucifer seemed to think over the proposition, then smiled and gave a nod to the two men. Lissa and the twins were released and both men grabbed onto Lucina.

"Run and tell someone what has happened, take the twins and run as far as you can. They won't harm me. Not yet" Lucina yelled to Lissa. The cleric hesitated for a moment, then decided to grab the twins and run. Lucifer seemed to consider chasing her, but decided against it and turned back to face Lucina.

"You are very clever, aren't you? You released those three and have prevented Robin from simply returning unaware. Very well, we shall retreat for now." Lucifer motioned for the brutes to carry Lucina outside. Pausing to take in a breath and smirk, Lucifer then called out to the fleeing Lissa.

"We are taking the girl to Plegia. If you want her back, come get her"

With that, Lucina was knocked out from behind, and eventually woke up in the cave she was currently in. She had been there for a few days. In that time, she had tried making markers against the wall in hoped of eventually finding a way out and escaping, but so far she had no luck finding any passage that led back up. She had tried following the guards that brought her food, but they would toy with her and take her on a roundabout back to her cell, eventually causing her to give up in fear of completely getting lost, should she lose sight of the guard. She was occasionally able to hear echoes of conversations and did her best to gather information, that way when she escaped she could pass on information to Ylisse. She wasn't in her cell by any accident, she had done this both to protect Robin and to try and stop Lucifer from the inside out. Sighing, she still hoped that maybe Robin would come to her rescue. Given all the times she saved him during battles, he owed her a saving or two.

* * *

"Lucifer!" Robin yelled in a fit of rage, black flames consuming his body. His scream became a mix of two voices, one his and one of a demon. A familiar power coursed through his blood. A power that shouldn't exist anymore, yet appeared to live on within his being. Turning on his heel, Robin made his way towards the western gate of Ylisstol. There were gasps of shock at the black flames surrounding his body, but he did not care at this point for keeping the peace. He approached the guard house at the gate and saw several horses tied up. Robin used his experience with his power to quell the flames, allowing him to take a mount.

Robin's coat flew behind him as he pushed the horse forward at full speed towards Plegia. Now that some time had passed, his mind began to calm down to the point where he could think over the implications of his power returning. Could Grima still be alive? While Robin's ties to his friends were strong enough to bring him back, could it be possible that the blood ties he had to Grima brought the dragon back as well? If that is the case, his sacrifice was all in vain. Thinking of only one way to test if Grima was alive, Robin cleared his throat.

"Are you in there?" Robin asked to the open plains. Naturally, there was no response. Robin waited, listening for anything. Any sound, any unnatural noise, any voice could confirm the return of the demon. However, even after waiting a few minutes, there was still no response. Robin let out a sigh of relief. At least that was one issue he seemed to not have to worry about. He still wasn't sure how exactly he had this power again, but for now he wouldn't complain. He would get Henry and Tharja to research it when he returns with Lucina. But for now, the power was welcome.

* * *

Lucina held her breath as she pressed to the walls in the shadows. She had learned much about sneaking in the past few days and was now successfully tailing the guard that had brought her food. She waited until he was almost out of sight then quickly dashed to the next shadow, landing only on the balls of her feet and avoiding any loose pebbles on the ground. She had left her shoes back in her cell, having learned these only created noise. It was in the moments she was trying to hold her breath in the shadows did she wish she had listened more to Gaius when he had tried to teach her about spying in her childhood. She had been too energetic back then and would never stay still long enough to take spying seriously. Eventually Gaius had given up on her, though now she wished he hadn't. She had only been learning through trial and error now.

She had been trailing the guard for the past ten minutes through many winding passageways, making sure to leave small marks in the wall with another rock as she went. The guard was wearing loose clothing with tight leather slippers that prevented noise, so it was difficult to figure out where he went when he turned corners, but Lucina had learned the correct distance to keep. Finally, the path began to slope upwards and Lucina knew she was close to victory. The guard turned right at the top and Lucina quickly followed. The path here no longer had other entrances, it was just a long hallway that led to some central room. When Lucina's eyes adjusted to the light from torches, she paled at the number of people in that central room. Around fifty men were sitting on the stone floor, watching Lucifer in his red coat as he took his stance on a pedestal overlooking the room.

"Men! Prepare yourselves, we have gotten word from our scouts of suspicious activity close to our base. We may be under attack soon. The report cited that there was a man searching along the cliff walls a mile south from here."

Lucina's heart jumped. Was she being rescued? Even if they didn't capture Lucifer at this point, she had learned enough information to know what his next few plans were as well as the locations of secondary hideouts. He wouldn't get away.

"_But who could it be? They only spoke of one person, surely father isn't rash enough to just come himself? The rest of the Shepherds must be here too! There's no way they could win with one against fifty" _Lucina tried to reason to herself that the Shepherds were surely all outside, not just one person. If it was one person, surely it would be her father. Robin had told her that Chrom was the best warrior on the Shepherds. Surely he didn't have that much confidence in himself to come alone, right?

"The man seen was wearing a black coat and had white hair. I have my suspicions who it is. If possible, injure him, break him, do whatever, but do not kill him. That honor is for me alone" Lucifer finished his speech, signaling the men that were sitting to gather their weapons and take position.

Lucina felt like fainting. Robin was a tactician, not a warrior! If he came alone, she didn't think he could escape. Back in the days of the Shepherds, Robin was good at fighting, but he still wasn't at the level of her father. And since his return, he had given up arms training and had wanted to live peacefully, so surely he was rusty in his fighting. Lucina gripped her chest, trying to think of a way to save Robin should he really come.

What Lucina didn't know was the power Robin had when he allowed Grima's blood to take over. She had never seen him in that state, as he never allowed it to happen except in a few situations prior to Lucina's appearance. But since Lucina entered his life, Robin decided she should not see him in that bloodthirsty state. It was a secret he had kept to himself and Chrom, both making a blood oath never to speak of the power to anyone else. They had both assumed it was gone when Robin returned, so it was never brought up again.

In Lucina's thoughts, she did not notice the shadow approaching behind her.

* * *

Robin got off his horse as he approached yet another cavern. He had thought he heard a female's voice coming from this cave, so he decided to check this one. He had checked caves for the better part of the day and was tired, simply wishing to find his goal. He began walking into the cave with a bored expression, peaking around corners in case there was an ambush. He finally reached a strange staircase that was carved into the rock and could see torchlight down below. Slowly, he allowed the power in his blood to start taking over again, just in case this was the cave he wanted. He didn't allow for a full takeover yet, he just wanted the power to be ready just in case.

He began descending the stairs into an empty hall, with many passageways winding from it. However, there didn't seem to be anybody in sight. Robin reached the hall floor and looked at the many paths that he would have to take. Taking a big sigh, he began walking towards the closest path.

"I'm glad you could make it" A voice with malice in it boomed. Robin unsheathed his sword and turned, looking for the source of the voice. Unfortunately, the echoes prevented any pinpointing the tactician could do.

"You have made a mistake coming here. And alone too? How foolish"

A man in a red coat appeared from one of the passageways. Following his lead, many armed guards emerged from the many paths, completely filling the perimeter of the room and surrounding Robin. The tactician kept a bored expression despite the situation.

"Are you Lucifer Plegiana?" Robin asked. The man in the red coat laughed.

"Why is that your main concern? You are completely surrounded! Shouldn't a tactician be focusing on the enemy numbers?" Lucifer asked, almost bewildered. Snickering, he continued his response.

"But to answer your question, yes, I am Lucifer Plegiana, first in line for the throne!"

Robin clenched his teeth in anger, letting his power return since he found his target. Black flames slowly seeped out of the cuffs of his coat.

"Where is Lucina!?" Robin yelled in a voice mixed between his own and Grima's. Lucifer took a step back in surprise at the power radiating from the tactician. Reassuring himself that a single man posed no threat, he straightened up and smiled.

"What does it matter? You won't be seeing her again any-" Lucifer managed to say before he found an unfamiliar burning sensation at his throat. His eyes widened in surprise as he realized that Robin, who had been 50 feet away from him a second ago, was suddenly gripping his throat and lifting him off the ground. The black flames that now surrounded the tactician's body burned Lucifer. Robin's eyes had changed from their normal brown color to blood red. There was nothing but hatred in his eyes.

"Don't fuck with me!" Robin roared as he threw the Plegian prince to the cave floor and placed a foot on his chest. Lucifer found a sword at his throat and felt fear for a moment. Then one of his followers tackled Robin from behind and managed to free up Lucifer.

"You really mean to fight when we have this!?" Lucifer yelled as he snapped his fingers. A brute emerged and was holding Lucina, who seemed to have been knocked out. In Robin's daze at seeing his wife in such a state, he didn't notice the soldiers closing in on him.

Robin was pushed into the center of the room again and found himself surrounded by enemies. He had fought many battles before, but he had never been this outnumbered and trapped. The black flames from his body kept the foes from immediately closing in, as they saw the burn damage on both Lucifer and on the man that had tackled Robin. Lucifer yelled and began charging, which caused the other men to follow. All fifty men along with Lucifer closed in on Robin, a formation with no escape route. Robin's eyes shifted around the room, his mind working overtime to create a plan. As his options ran out, time seemed to slow. The men almost froze in place. Robin's mind felt a strange sense of nostalgia at the scene. He felt his consciousness slowly slipping, like he was losing control of his body. His mind took a backseat as his body suddenly began moving on its own. He watched as his body slowly drew a second sword that he always kept on him, but he could not move his limbs on his own accord. His fear as to what was happening slowly came to reality. A single demonic voice that had disappeared long ago spoke from within his consciousness.

"_**It looks like you need my help again. It sure has been a while, hasn't it, vessel?"**_

* * *

**A/N: Hey there everyone. Sorry for the lack of updates, I have been extremely busy with work/school. But you don't need to worry about that, just know I will post updates whenever I have some time to write. I'll be switching around with which stories get updates to try to get them all chapters, so next time it will be a Beginning of Life chapter. Some of you may have participated in the poll that has been on my profile for a few months, congratulations, you helped decide who is going to go get Lucina! Review answering time!**

**Elasmotherium (latest)- Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed the Reunion arc, as that was originally going to be the only part of the story. All of these arcs ended up coming because it seemed like the story was well received, and reviews like your own are what have kept the story going. My next chapter will be a beginning of life chapter, and hopefully soon I will get around to my other stories as well.**

**Yugih-Thank you! As far as the Natural Exalt is concerned, the bet that Chrom lost required him to run through Ylisstol in the nude, thus causing all the citizens to see him in his natural form. Thus, he is the Natural Exalt.**

**Potatoman-Thank you, we are nearing the end of the story so I will start wrapping up all the different ties there have been throughout the story and hopefully give a good sense about the state of the world.**

**Guest- oh yes they will**

**Ghira- It is a bit complicated but hopefully I can help explain Grima's remnants in a way that makes sense.**

**Nintend-I had meantioned age in a previous chapter but off the top of my head I believe Robin is about 28 in this arc. Marc looks like a more muscled version of male Morgan. He does have blue eyes instead of hazel.**

**Antex- The next chapter I post will be a Beginning of Life chapter and will hopefully get rolling soon, I have big plans for the coming chapters.**

**Elasmotherium (oldest)-While the two stories are similar, there are quite a few number of differences. This was a rebellion invasion as opposed to a takeover, also the tone of the story is much more solemn whereas Exalt Bride is meant to have a lot of humor. Lucina certainly isn't a damsel in distress here, and there is some epic fighting featuring her and Robin in this coming chapter.**

**John Night Arrow-shhh nobody needs to know**

**Until next time!**

**Austin**


	24. The Sins of The Father

_**Last time on The Return to Life: Robin invaded Plegia to rescue Lucina from Gangrel's son, Lucifer. The tactician managed to find Lucifer's hiding spot and invaded, only to find the place filled with thugs. Completely surrounded, Robin sees no way out until an old nemesis makes a surprising reappearance.**_

* * *

**Chapter 24: The Sins of the Father**

**"****_It looks like you need my help again. It sure has been a while, hasn't it, vessel?"_**

Those were the last words Robin heard before his mind slipped into a state of limbo. He was in the same place he had found himself in after he killed Grima. He was in pure darkness. There was no sound. However, even in this peaceful place, Robin was having a meltdown. He was sure he had just heard a voice that should not exist. _Grima's voice_. Worse yet, he lost consciousness and had no idea what was happening or how his wife was. He paced around, desperate to escape his cell. He feared he might have been killed by all the people surrounding him. As he panicked, he saw a bit of light coming from far away and willed himself towards it. His mind rejoined with his body and he found himself staring at all of Lucifer's henchmen. However, the familiar feeling of having no control of his body was back. His old power had taken over, and all he could do was watch.

**"Allow me to teach you what fear and pain truly is!" **Grima's voice came from Robin. In an instant, the dark flames surrounding his body congregated at his fists. The thugs charged in, however Grima dodged each attack with ease. Fifty men attacked at once, and not one could hit. After a few minutes of this game, Lucifer's army was panting, disturbed that none could land a hit. Grima put on a sinister smile and cracked his knuckles before walking towards a group of ten men.

**"You think I am weak? I'll show you weak!"**

The flames in Grima's hands exploded at the men, causing all of them to roll on the ground in pain. Grima then switched from using fire and concentrated on the swords he held in each hand. In quick movements, he bounced around the room, hacking and slicing as each man made a feeble attempt to defend themselves. All the while, an inhuman laugh echoed through the caves. When Grima finally stopped moving, the floor was a bloody mess of limbs and carnage. He stood and wiped some of the blood off of his face.

**"Is that all? Hardly any exercise after being sealed up for so long"**

"Stop! This is over, Robin!"

Grima looked over to see Lucifer standing on an alcove, a rather flustered look on his face.

"See what I have! You better stand down!" He yelled as he pulled up an unconscious Lucina by the hair, a knife at her throat. Grima simply laughed again, still wearing that sadistic smile.

**"Do you really think I care about her, boy? You aren't talking to Robin anymore! You really are just like your father, when I cut him down he made similar pathetic attempts to save his life!"** He yelled, laughing afterwards and advancing towards the trembling Lucifer. Robin could see the knife tightly pressed against his wife's jugular, and desperately fought for control over his body. He started gaining ground, as his body stopped moving and lost the smile it had.

**"****_Now _****you are fighting for control!? You seemed to have no issue when I was slaughtering all those people! But your little girlfriend gets involved and suddenly you can't take it!? You are so weak!"**

_"No….no that isn't true! I never gave you permission to take over! Grima, get out of my head! You aren't allowed to be here!" _Robin argued within the confines of his mind, which Lucifer couldn't hear, so he only saw a man arguing with himself.

**"Oh I need permission now? Last I checked, if I didn't take over, we would both be dead! I can't be having that now, can I?"**

_"No! I can handle this myself! Now…get…out..OF…MY…._HEAD!" Robin yelled, his voice finally breaking through as his will power took over Grima's. He looked down at both his hands, finally being able to control himself. He made a quick note that his brand was still gone, which led to even more questions. But now was not the time.

"Lucifer! Give her back, now!" Robin yelled as he pulled a thoron tome from his coat. Lucifer stared at the man in complete confusion at what just happened for a few moments before finally answering.

"No."

"No!?"

"You killed my father. You killed him in a fit of hatred, in an act of revenge. All of that, because he took something away from you. And because of that, you took something away from me. I have grown to hate you, and all I want is revenge. Hatred begets hatred, revenge begets revenge, it is a vicious cycle that will never end. I know that when I take this girl's life, nothing will stop…whatever that monster was from killing me. And then another will rise in my place, seeking revenge upon you again. I know it may be wrong to overlook the sins of my father, but no matter what, the man was still my father, and I must avenge him."

For a lunatic, Lucifer's speech made a lot of sense. However, Robin found a large issue with it.

"That isn't true Lucifer! Family is not an absolute! My father wanted to give me away to a demon! He bore no love for me, and I could see that clearly! You can do the same, I _beg _you Lucifer! You speak of this unending cycle, but you can end it right here! Let Lucina go! We have both suffered enough, if you release her and promise not to attack Ylisse anymore, then this cycle can end!" Robin pleaded out to the man. He saw that his past actions were wrong, not that he didn't already know. His state of anger when he killed Gangrel had brought out Grima's power and turned him into a killing machine, an action he still regretted to this day. Lucifer sneered at Robin and pulled Lucina up a little higher. Robin noticed that Lucina's eyes slowly started to open, through Lucifer didn't notice.

"I'm afraid I can't just let her go! It seems no matter what, you will lose today! Say goodbye to—AAUUUGH"

In one swing, Lucina took off both of Lucifer's arms at the elbow with a sword she had picked up before being knocked out. She jumped down and ran to Robin, who embraced her tightly.

"YOU….YOU BITCH! I WILL KILL YOU!" Lucifer yelled in a fit of rage. At that moment, Chrom appeared from the entry way and looked at the two stumps of arms that Lucifer now had.

"….With what?" Chrom asked, a completely serious look on his face. Lucifer looked down at his two bleeding arms, realizing he had no means of grasping a weapon. He let out an inhuman scream and rushed towards Chrom. The Exalt sighed as he unsheathed Falchion, and in an instant Lucifer's head hit the floor, detached from his body. Chrom flicked his sword to get the blood off before unsheathing it and stepping around the mangled bodies to get to Robin and Lucina.

"So…..what exactly happened here?" Chrom asked, looking around the room at the carnage. Robin's face grew a little red as he scratched the side of his face, trying to figure a way to explain it with Lucina in the room. Seeing no way out, he let out a big sigh.

"Grima somehow came back and took over my body again."

Lucina let out a big gasp and covered her mouth, her eyes bulging in disbelief.

"C-Came back? What do you mean-wait, did you say again!?" She yelled. Robin closed his eyes, realizing he now had to explain something that was previously just between him and Chrom. The Exalt turned his eyes away when Robin looked to him for help, knowing better than to get on Lucina's bad side.

"Well….up until Grima was revived at the Table, I had a voice that lived in my head. I came to later find out that when the Grima of your time tried to fuse with me, something went wrong and a portion of Grima's soul split off and fused with all the malice that had accumulated within me. Which just so happened to be connected to all the fighting skills I had when I apparently was the greatest fighter in Plegia, prior to coming to Ylisse. And so, there were many times when I had to mentally battle with Grima to keep him from taking over my body. Whenever his consciousness took over, I lost control of my body and gained incredible fighting abilities. However, I almost never let that happen." Robin said shyly. Lucina looked like she was about to burst with anger, unable to believe her husband would keep this from her for so long.

"'Almost'!?"

"Yes, almost. The only time Grima took over after I realized there was something else inside my body was when I killed Gangrel. I also have suspicion that the plan to blow up ships when we went to Valm came partially from Grima as well, although that time he never took over. He took over today because I was about to die, although I have no idea how he has returned…."

Robin looked up to see Lucina with hot tears in her eyes, the sting of distrust evident in her eyes. She turned on her heel and stormed towards the exit.

"Lucina wait-"

"Save it Robin! I can't believe you wouldn't tell me about this! What did you think I would do!? Leave you? I love you Robin, I have loved you even when I found out that you and Grima were the same! I'm just hurt you couldn't trust me with this!" Lucina yelled before making her exit. Robin took a step after her, but Chrom placed a hand on his shoulder and shook his head.

"Let her cool off a bit. Besides, right now we need to figure out how Grima returned. I have the rest of the Shepherds outside, so I will have Libra call Tiki so that we can talk to Naga. Hopefully we can figure out a solution to this mess."

Robin took one more look at the bodies around him, feeling sick to his stomach. He gave a small nod and followed Chrom back towards the entrance.

After the two had emerged into the desert, Robin saw all his old comrades had gathered together. He scanned again, but could see no sign of Lucina.

"_Well, like Chrom said, that will have to wait."_ Robin sighed to himself, feeling completely dejected. He felt like an idiot for not telling Lucina earlier, he had just hoped the topic would never come up. It wasn't exactly easy to tell his wife that the monster that destroyed her future liked to have conversations with him inside his head.

Sully approached the pair on horseback, giving a whistle when she saw the look on Robin's face.

"Really fucked up this time, huh? I saw little blue storm off a bit ago. Can't imagine the shit you are in."

Robin kept his eyes to the ground, not responding to Sully's remarks. Chrom shook his head at her, which is when she decided she best go elsewhere. Robin rarely wasn't in a mood to fire back quips, but when he wasn't, it was for good reason. The Exalt and tactician soon entered a tent where they found Libra, Vaike, Morgan and Marc all sitting around a dinner table. Robin eyed the bottle of whiskey on the table, but still said nothing.

"Dad!" Morgan and Marc both cried out at the same time as the stumbled over towards their father. Robin gave them a small smile and hug, but still remained quiet.

"What's wrong dad?" Morgan asked. Robin looked up at her bright hazel eyes. She had grown into a beautiful, intelligent woman that he was so proud of. It didn't help in this moment that she inherited a lot of her looks from her mother, as seeing her stabbed at the wound in Robin's heart. He turned towards Marc, who resembled Robin a little more. He still had blue hair and shared Lucina's blue eyes, but his face was a mirror image of Robin's. He wore the same clothing his mother always did when she was with the Shepherds, which only served to keep reminding Robin of his wrong.

"I uh….got into a fight with your mother. I'm sure everything will be fine, so don't you two worry." Robin spoke as best he could without letting his voice quiver, patting both Morgan and Marc on the head. Chrom, with Libra in tow now, signaled for Robin to follow. He gave a quick smile to his kids and headed out of the tent with Chrom.

"Sheesh, Robin should know better than to get on the bad side of Lucina. She has a fiery temper when she gets mad. Not that she scares the Vaike or anything!" Vaike proclaimed to himself at the table, looking around for some Shepherds to agree with him, but only finding Morgan and Marc. He mumbled to himself and resumed getting incredibly intoxicated.

"Hey, Marc." Morgan finally said as she stood with a finger on her chin.

"Yea, I know. Let's go find Mom" Marc said in an annoyed tone, heading out of the tent to find wherever their mother had gone.

* * *

Robin, Chrom, and Libra gathered in a small canyon, about half a mile away from the rest of the Shepherds. This was to be a classified event, as they did not want everyone thinking Grima had returned. Chrom had explained the situation to Libra as they walked. Surprisingly, the priest did not seem too shocked at the recent events. Or at least didn't show it. When they got to the canyon, Libra pulled out a whistle that Tiki had given him long ago. He gave it three blows, then sat on a nearby rock.

"The divine one should arrive shortly" Libra said as he stroked his long hair with his right hand. Robin pulled his hood up and laid down in the shade while Chrom stood between the two, his hand holding his chin as he collected his thoughts on the situation. Half an hour went by before a familiar dragon appeared before them. In a flash, the dragon shrunk down into their good friend, Tiki.

"Ah, what has occurred for you to call me here?" Tiki asked. It was not difficult to figure out that she had been taking another long nap.

"I'm sorry to call you on such short notice, and I'm sorry to leave out details here, but we really need to speak to Naga as soon as possible. Can you channel her for us?" Chrom asked with the anxiety of a school boy. Tiki observed his features for a few moments before deciding to trust in the Exalt. She closed her eyes and clasped her hands together, suddenly being engrossed in a green light. When she opened her eyes, they were completely white and her voice had been replaced with Naga's.

"Hello Fellblood, I trust you have called me here because of Grima's reappearance"

"Yes, he suddenly returned to my consciousness. Do you know what might have caused this?"

"When I felt his power return to the world, I began investigating immediately. It seems that you exited your state of limbo too early. Your soul had been sent to a type of purgatory in order to separate Grima from your own self, however it seems that your wanting to return caused you to leave that limbo without being fully cleansed. All these years that you have been back, Grima has been regaining his strength within you." Naga spoke to them. Robin immediately felt the crushing truth and sunk down into the sand, his hands covering his face. Chrom looked towards his friend and desperately tried to think of how they could get out of this mess.

"Isn't there some way to finish the cleansing? That way Robin will be rid of Grima for good?" Libra chirped up from the side. Naga answered back without hesitation.

"There are two ways to get rid of the fell dragon. I can either send the Fellblood to limbo for another year, or one of Exalted blood can pierce his heart with a holy blade. The blow will not kill the Fellblood, but he will still feel the pain for a week or two while I cleanse his body."

Robin immediately stood up with a renewed hope.

"Chrom! Stab me!"

Chrom blinked a few times as he stared at his friend. He turned back to Naga, who nodded back at him.

"Well….okay. I guess I can do that. Thank you Naga, if this is all we have to do, then you can return back to your world. Thank you again for your help."

Naga disappeared from Tiki's body, leaving the green haired girl to resume sleeping on the sand. Libra was quick to move his idol into the shade, leaving just Chrom and Robin staring at each other. Meanwhile, Sumia and Cordelia had just arrived at the other end of the canyon, as they had been sent out to find a few missing Shepherds.

"Come on, Chrom! Stab me!" Robin yelled again. He pulled off his robe and shirt, leaving his chest exposed. He pointed out where to hit, then held his arms back and kept his head up. Chrom, meanwhile, gave a heavy sigh and unsheathed Falchion. Realizing how hot this part of Plegia was, and realizing they may be out here for a while longer, he removed his cape and torso armor, also exposing his chest. To him, he was helping a dear friend and staying cool in the hot desert. Unfortunately, his wife was hearing and seeing a different scene.

"Are you sure about this Robin? I know we have talked about this before, but actually doing it is…weird." Chrom said uneasily as he stared at Falchion's blade.

Off behind Chrom, Sumia and Cordelia sat behind a large boulder, peaking around the side to see what was occurring. Cordelia tried to speak up and ask what the two were doing, but Sumia was quick to slap a hand over her mouth.

"Cordelia, I _swear_ if you ruin one of my fantasies, I will describe each sexual encounter I have had with Chrom in perfect detail. And trust me! There are a lot! Some a little weird, but I like it like that!"

Cordelia turned a shade of red that matched her hair and sunk down behind the rock. It didn't help that the angle the two were watching the scene from prevented them from seeing Falchion in Chrom's hand.

"Chrom, if anybody was going to do this to me, I would want it to be you!"

"But, I mean….won't it hurt?"

"I'm sure it will, but I'll risk it for the sake of everyone"

"Its just…this is so weird. I mean, sure I've done this to a lot of people, but you…your my best friend!"

Cordelia turned to find Sumia's face completely flushed and a steady trickle of blood coming from her nose. Needless to say, she was enjoying this.

"Chrom! Quit being a bitch and stick it in me!"

And then Cordelia got to watch Sumia faint from pure bliss. She tried to wake up her friend, anxiously wanting to leave this area. She was a little curious as to where this conversation would lead, however. In her head, she convinced herself she must watch on Sumia's behalf, and not for any selfish reason that she would never have. She peered over the rock just in time to see Falchion pierce through Robin's chest, blood pouring out over his body. Cordelia ducked back down, covering her mouth as she took in what just happened. She tried to shake Sumia awake, but found no way to snap her friend out of it. She remained behind the rock, shaking, until she heard Robin's voice.

"Augh! That sure stings! Pull out already Chrom, I think the job is done!"

Sumia's nose bled even more.

Once Chrom dislodged Falchion from Robin's sternum, a large hissing could be heard as the wounds sealed themselves up. Robin touched is chest, in disbelief that he felt almost no pain.

"Huh, I thought Naga said that OH DEAR NAGA THAT HURTS"

The tactician fell to his knees clutching his chest as he felt all of his insides burning. Falchion's divine blade had begun to destroy Grima, as evident by the demonic screaming currently going on within Robin's head.

Cordelia quickly ran out from her hiding spot to the two men.

"Lord Chrom! I must ask what is going on here!"

Chrom was legitimately surprised to see Cordelia here. He figured somebody would look for them eventually, but to send someone alone was strange. At least, he thought that until he saw his unconscious wife sprawled on the ground. He went over the last bit of conversation he and Robin had before covering his face with his palm.

"Dammit Sumia….you always come in at the wrong time. Anyways, don't mind the screaming tactician, he will be fine."

Chrom looked over his shoulder to see Robin writhing in pain on the ground, yelling expletives every few seconds.

"Really, he will be fine. He has a lot worse coming. Speaking of which, have you seen my daughter? The oldest one."

Despite the Exalt's reassurances at Robin's state, Cordelia still stared at the tactician in deep concern. It took a few moments to realize she had been asked a question.

"The last I saw….she was with Morgan and Marc on the outskirts of camp…"

Chrom grinned at her answer and walked over to his best friend. He knelt down and placed a hand on Robin's back.

"Now, now. You haven't even felt pain yet. You better stand up, Lucina is going to be waiting for that apology. And I'll be damned if I let you get any comfort before meeting with her."

Chrom picked Robin up off the ground and began to drag him back towards camp.

"Augh! Fuck! I'm in pain Chrom! Can't this wait!?"

"Nope! Consider this payback for knocking up my daughter" Chrom smiled sinisterly as he continued dragging the tactician. Robin wasn't sure if it was the pain he felt or the solid point Chrom made that prevented him from retorting. Either way, he sure was not looking forward to explaining things to Lucina. He could only hope his children would help smooth things over before he got there….

* * *

**A/N: Hey everybody! Sorry for keeping everyone in suspense for so long! I now have a much more open schedule, so updates should be coming in a little more frequently. Thank you to everyone that has followed/favorited/reviewed this story so far, each time one of those happens it makes it easier to write the next chapter. Also, I guess people like this arc since it has waaay more reviews than any other arc has had. Please keep it up, I love the feedback, or if you would rather PM me about something I am perfectly fine with that too! Review time!**

**Strider Shade- Thanks! I am trying to get to each story this week, so the next update will be Exalt Bride.**

**Leawright- well, he went off the deep end a bit, but I hope his fight fit your cravings.**

**Yugiohfangirl- yeaaaaa Lucina didn't take the whole Grima thing so well…..**

**TheODST- I suffer from the same issue, and since you pointed it out I thought putting a little recap at the top of each part might help from here on out. I don't use suspense too much, but I'm glad it worked out last time!  
**

**Firudo Saki- I am a fan of the bittersweet ending….although that is all hush hush right now. I'm sorry I kept you in a corner for so long!**

**Elasmotherium- Robin and Grima are certainly an interesting duo, but there is always consequences for letting Grima out, as I hope I showed here. To answer, no, Morgan and Marc did not inherit the power, since the power comes from Grima fusing specifically with Robin.**

**JakeZero-I'm glad it has been an interesting ride. Grima didn't exactly appear in that sense, but he certainly was present in this chapter!**

**Blacksword 1- Hopefully I was able to explain what happened with Grima!**

**Sliferskygragon- I did! And will continue doing so at more frequent intervals! Sorry to keep you waiting!**

**Serphosion- Thank you so much! It really means a lot to know that you have enjoyed this story! I'm not sure about the whole "thought out" part but I will take what I can get! Also, I apologize for the mistakes, if you happen to know what chapters had error I will go back and fix the issues right away.**

**For those who have not checked it out, I recently updated the Beginning of Life, which is the prequel to this story. Please check it out and drop some feedback! **

**Until next time,**

**Austin**


	25. Retribution

_**Last time on The Return to Life: Robin rescued Lucina with the help of Grima's power, however now finds himself in marital trouble for hiding a secret from his wife for so long. Putting that aside, Robin and Chrom invoked Naga's help to once again remove Grima from this world. Now Robin sets to correct his mistake, all the while feeling a burning hole in his chest.**_

* * *

**Chapter 25: Retribution**

The sun was setting on the Plegian desert, casting long shadows from the sand dunes over the Shepherd's camp. The aged warriors had been on alert since they realized they had a few missing members, but other than being a bit more attentive the camp was as carefree as always. Vaike and Stahl were having an eating competition, Henry and Tharja stalked the camp looking for poor souls to test spells on, and Maribelle forced Lissa to try on gown after gown. Far from the chaos, two pairs of footsteps led towards the stone ridges that snaked through the desert. Two blue haired twins could be found as the culprits for the disturbed sand, both wearing worried faces as they searched for their mother.

"How far could she have gone?" Morgan asked with heavy exasperation. The two had walked for nearly an hour, trekking behind footprints that had started to become covered by fresh sand. Morgan was wearing her old tactician cloak with the hood up and tied to keep the sand out of her face. She wore long tan pants and a white undershirt. Her hair had grown long with age, matching closely to her mother's. Her child, Hector, was back in Ylisstol with Yarne. While the taegel had grown more courageous, he still gladly took the offer to hang back with the couple's son.

"I don't know, the trail seems to never end. I can only hope to find her in the ridges up ahead" Marc spoke with the stone expression he had grown since joining the Ylissean knights. His blue hair had been cut short, as demanded by the knights. He wore leather armor that was dyed silver on all parts of his body. A blue cape marked with the brand of the exalt fluttered gently behind him. He wore a lightweight helm, which caused his hair to stick to his head, caked in sweat. Since he returned from the outrealm, he felt tremendous guilt for his actions after he was fooled by Grima. As such, he believed his duty to the knights was his only retribution. He was known as the Faceless Swordsman among the knights, due to the creed he had taken in which he never took glory for his actions. While there had not been a major war since Grima was defeated, he had earned a reputation among tourneys across the globe as being unbeatable, however nobody knew his name. He was living a life sworn by the sword, in a self-placed punishment for his actions.

The twins approached the ridge from the south. The sandstone was rich in reds and oranges, casting beauty on such a desolate place. Marc walked through the eastern valley among the ridges while Morgan took the west. The two searched for half an hour before emerging on the other side of the ridges. Both shook their heads sadly when they looked at each other.

They had all but given up when they heard a faint shouting coming from the top of the ridge. The twins exchanged glances before climbing up the wall that had separated them. After a bit of struggle, the two emerged on a plateau of sandstone. In the center, their mother was practicing with her sword in the center, fighting nothing but the air. Morgan and Marc both smiled, happy they finally found their mother.

"Mother!" They both yelled.

Lucina stopped mid-swing and staggered back, surprised to find her children before her. She sheathed Falchion and wiped the sweat from her brow.

"Hello dears, how did you find me?" She asked as she smiled sweetly. She walked over to them and stroked both of their heads, the twins leaning against her in comfort. Morgan let out a big sigh.

"We were able to follow your footprints in the sand. Mother, why are you angry with Father?"

Lucina's eyes glazed over as the scene played back in her head. The bloody bodies. Grima. A secret withheld.

"Your Father kept something from me, something important."

Morgan looked up at her mother, puzzled.

"What do you mean?"

Lucina weighed her options. She wasn't sure about telling her children about the relationship between Robin and Grima, however she realized that not telling them was the same as Robin not telling her.

"Your Father used to have a strong connection to the Fell Dragon, so much so that the demon could take over him."

Morgan still held a confused look, as if she was waiting for her mother to continue.

"Yes? I know that, what was it that he didn't tell you?"

Lucina looked surprised at her daughter.

"H-how did you know about that?"

Morgan smiled up at her mother, remembering she wasn't the quickest to catch onto things.

"He was controlled by Validar to hand over the Emblem, but he still had taken steps prior in order to prevent the real gems from being taken. If he had never had his body taken over, how would he have known that the control Validar had would be so powerful? And how would he have even taken control of Father's body? There is no magic that controls people in the world, the only explanation is that there was some preexisting condition that could control Father. I know he is cautious, but he never doubted the strength of the Shepherds. He never thought for a second when you visited Plegia that the Shepherds would be overpowered, he only feared he would be taken over. At the time I wasn't sure what was controlling him, but after the incident at the Dragon's Table I was able to piece it all together."

Lucina stared at her daughter in disbelief. Morgan had figured everything out already. She truly was a genius, and even with the knowledge she didn't look at her father any differently. When Lucina remained quiet, Marc spoke up.

"Father only didn't tell us because it was not important. Grima is long dead, so it was never necessary to reflect on when the two were one. I'm sure that Father didn't want to relive those memories anyways. And when you two first met, I don't think he had figured out what was inside him. Maybe he just thought he was bipolar. And Father loves you so much, he likely just didn't want to risk you leaving him if you knew the truth."

"But that is no excuse to keep something secret, we entered an everlasting bond and promised to share in everything. Good and bad"

Morgan thought deeply upon her mother's words.

"I'm sure Father was only scared you would leave him. He loves you so much, I don't think he would take any unnecessary risk when it comes to you. He didn't even wait for reinforcements when you were taken because he was scared he would be too late. Sure it wasn't his best tactical plan, but it all worked out!"

Lucina stared at her two children. They had grown so mature in the time she had known them. Even if they weren't technically hers, she loved them as much as Marth and Megan. And they always seemed to know how to cheer her up.

"_Robin certainly is lucky to have such loyal children"_ She thought to herself.

* * *

"Chrooooooooom!" Robin yelled as he was dragged through the desert.

Chrom had tied the tactician up to a wooden sled, then tied the sled to a horse. He proceeded to ride said horse, dragging his best friend around the desert. Robin was fading in and out of consciousness, pain coursing through his body as Naga cleansed him. Chrom looked back at how disheveled Robin was and snorted at the sight. The tactician was covered in sand, the small pieces of dirt caking his hair and cheeks. Chrom pushed his horse faster, causing more sand to be kicked up, mostly covering Robin's mouth.

Robin turned and spat out as much as he could as the two dragged onwards towards the ridges that Marc and Morgan were heading to.

"This isn't funny Chrom! You know how much I hate sand!" The tactician yelled between spits.

"How can you not love sand? You were born here!" Chrom called back.

"Every damn time we come here I get sand all over! I swear after we beat Gangrel I was still finding sand in my boots three months later! I'm tired of this damn sand!"

"You didn't seem to mind it too much at the time, if I recall correctly. After all, you sure seemed to like having tactical meetings with my daughter in the desert during our last campaign!"

Robin tried to come up with a snarky comeback, yet failed. Every time Chrom brought up the whole "you slept with my daughter" routine, Robin found no way to respond. The Exalt was always joking, but the hint of warning was still present. Deciding to keep silent and focus on keeping sand from choking him to death, Robin turned and examined his surroundings. It was nearing sundown and the shadows of the sparse trees and ridges that formed from the wind weathering down stone were growing long. The air had cooled significantly, a feature Robin had always appreciated since his coat finally had a practical use. He struggled against the ropes, trying to free his right arm in order to get himself together, the sand wearing at his face.

Finding his struggle meaningless against the tight ropes, he began using his fingers to rummage through the many pockets of his coat. His fingers grazed the cool smoothness of steel and a smirk enveloped his face. He manipulated the small dagger he had stowed away so it would inch towards his hand, eventually getting a grasp on it. Meanwhile, Chrom was laughing away as they made progress through the desert.

Robin moved the dagger furiously with what little movement he had, eventually getting free of the bindings. With a snicker, he charged a small thunder spell and flung it at the Exalt, striking him in the back and forcing a high pitched yelp. The horse pulled back, bringing both men to a stop as it stood awaiting further commands. Chrom rubbed his shoulder with an annoyed look while Robin stood and stretched, victory evident on his face amongst the scratches and fatigue he had from being dragged around during Naga's cleansing.

"Robin? Father?" A voice called out.

Somewhere between the shadows of the desert, Lucina appeared with the twins on either side of her. She looked back and forth between the two men before she realized the damage evident on her husband and was able to piece together the puzzle. Chrom smiled sheepishly at his daughter before turning towards his old tactician. The man had a smug expression as he combed his white hair with his hand, which now was a messy mop that was brushed back and stopped shortly before the base of his neck.

"Hey dear, I'm sorry it took us so long to get here. Your dad here thought it would be funny to drag me around the desert for a while" Robin said as he shot Chrom a look.

Meanwhile Chrom noticed a loop of rope that had somehow ended up right under the tactician's leg.

"Anyways, about the whole Grima thing. I'm sorry I never spoke to you about it before, I wasn't sure what it was at the time and after it passed I wanted to forget about it. I know I can trust you, and truly, I am so sorry for not telling you" Robin said as he looked timidly at the ground.

Lucina was silent for a while before letting a soft smile cover her face.

"Oh, Robin. Its okay, you certainly are lucky to have such wonderful children. They helped me understand why you might not have wanted to tell me. While I still am not happy with you keeping secrets from me, I'm willing to look past this one" She said as she approached the tactician with open arms.

Robin smiled grandly and took a step forward to embrace his wife.

And at that instant, Chrom spurred the horse forward, tightening the rope around Robin's ankle and pulling him hard to the ground. He was dragged along, sand filled every nook of his clothing, piling up inside everything.

"DAAMNIT CHROM! I HATE SAND!" Robin yelled into the wind.

"She is still my daughter, I have to protect her from villains like you!" Chrom yelled as he laughed, the two looking like a comedy act.

Lucina pinched her nose and shook her head, an action she had adopted from her husband during the campaigns when he would do the same in reaction to many of the Shepherd's antics.

"Some things never change, I guess" Lucina said as she started following the pair at a slow pace. Morgan and Marc looked at each other before shrugging, and hurried to catch up with their mother.

"Was it always like this back when Dad was the grandmaster?" Marc asked.

Lucina smiled and pat her son on the head, staring at the horizon as memories flooded her mind.

"Yes, those two were always joking around and hurting each other. At first, I must admit I was appalled by their actions, mainly because I wanted to protect your grandfather. But your father helped to show me how to relax, and how their actions actually helped the army perform better"

"Because when the leaders were able to relax, it helped the rest of the Shepherds calm down and fight level headed, correct?" Morgan asked.

"Yes, but I truly couldn't see that back then. Those two were just meant to be like this."

The three chuckled as they watched Robin being dragged all the way back to the Shepherd camp, cursing and screaming the whole way.

* * *

"I really, truly hate sand" Robin said as he shook out his boots for the fourth time, once again a pile of sand pouring out. No matter how many times he shook his clothes out, he still found sand falling out of them.

"I swear, Anna could probably find a way to make a fortune up north with the amount of sand that comes out of my clothes. I can see it now- 'come get sand that was coating the legendary tactician, Robin of Ylisse!'" The tactician spoke with big theatrics, acting out how Anna spoke, even mimicking putting his finger on his chin.

Lucina, meanwhile, was sitting on their bedroll, having changed into a white nightgown. She had magically gotten all the sand off her on her first try, a feat everybody but Robin seemed to be capable of. She looked up from the novel she had borrowed from her mother.

"I don't know, not many people would want to buy something belonging to a man that was only famous many years ago"

Robin grumbled something unintelligible in response and went back to trying to pat the sand off of his body. The pain from Naga's cleansing was dull now, however still present near where Chrom had stabbed him. The only concern of Robin's now was spending some well-deserved time with his wife. The two were using a tent they had gotten during the Shepherd's final official campaign, when they were about to fight Grima. It was a simple, canvas tent that was supported by 4 metal bars at the corners with a flat roof. There was nothing inside except the packs of clothing and supplies that Chrom had brought for both of them and the large bedroll they used to sleep. They had laid out another large piece of canvas along the ground in hopes of keeping the sand off of them while they slept. The sounds of camp had died before they returned, so they were both able to set up their tent in peace. Now, a candle beside Lucina illuminated their tent enough to see in the dark night.

"My mother certainly has some….interesting ideas about what two men that share a close friendship should do in close quarters…" Lucina said with a blush, quickly turning the page of her novel.

"Let me guess, one has white hair and the other has blue hair? They share some sort of military office?" Robin asked with a groan. Lucina looked up with slight surprise.

"Why, yes actually. How did you-"

Robin held up a hand to stop her from continuing.

"Trust me, you would be a lot happier not knowing"

Lucina looked uneasily down at her book, uncertain what her husband could possibly know about this book. She knew very little about it herself, other than her mother had given it to her recently and there didn't seem to be an author listed anywhere.

Robin grunted as he struggled to pull his shirt off, the sweat causing it to stick to him. When it finally freed its grip from him, Lucina let out a gasp.

"R-Robin! What happened to you!?"

Robin looked down to see that there was a large scar where Chrom had stabbed him. While the wound healed itself so he wouldn't die, it seemed that a stab wound was still a stab wound.

"Well…..it is kind of a wild story" He said as he scratched his head. Lucina crossed her arms as she waited to hear what mess her husband had gotten into now.

"In order to get rid of any taint left from Grima, Chrom had to…uh…. Make a slight incision and let Naga's power cleanse me"

Lucina eyed her husband wearily. The scar looked like it was left from much more than a small scratch. Before she could voice her complaints, Robin dove into the bedroll next to her, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close. Her face nestled between his neck and shoulder, his scent wrapping her in a sense of peace. She let go of her concerns and returned his embrace, realizing she had been feeling tense for a few days since she was not with him.

"Robin….thank Naga you are okay…you scared me so much"

Robin pulled back and looked at her with a quizzical expression.

"I scared you? Lucina, you were the one kidnapped, I was the one worried!"

Lucina brushed her lips against his for a brief instant then smirked.

"But I allowed myself to be captured, I was never in any real danger. We defeated the dark dragon, no man can stand up to that feat"

Robin lost his counter statement in the lips of his wife, the two sharing a passion after having been absent for so long. When they finally parted, Robin stared into her beautiful blue eyes.

"Lucina, I know I wasn't honest in telling you everything before. But trust me, you are the most amazing thing that has ever happened to me. I know we will continue to grow together. It seems like just yesterday I was having concerns that I was falling for my best friend's daughter, but in the end everything has truly worked out. We have four beautiful children and all the time in the world. I promise I won't let anybody take you from me ever again."

Lucina smiled as she brushed back her husband's white hair, revealing his chestnut eyes.

"I know Robin. I figured this time I would let you save me from something since I always have to save you. But do know that I will always be by your side. No matter what the future holds, no matter what foe may try to tear us apart, I will be there until the end. Because, dear, I truly love you"

The couple stared lovingly at each other until they heard a familiar voice outside.

"I'm telling you Sumia, I just need to check that the flowers were watered tonight! What is the point of flowers if they die?"

"Chrom! If you go in there I swear I'll make you actually read my next book! There aren't any flowers in the desert!"

"I remember there being a few flowers in this particular tent, let me just make sure they are-"

The voices stopped as Chrom clumsily ran into the door of the Robin's tent. He made a cry of frustration and tried as hard as he could to unseal the flaps of the tent, but it seemed like they were stitched together.

"Robin! Open this damn tent!"

Robin snickered as he turned to a wife with a knowing grin, her face full of confusion.

"You can always count on Tharja to know a hex that seals entrances from intruders"

Lucina simply nodded and kissed her husband again, the two reengaging in their passion for each other while Sumia dragged an anguished Chrom away from the tent. Yet another normal day for the Shepherds as the night closed, everyone set to return to Ylisstol in the morning.

* * *

**A/N: Ah, here we are as we wind down the last bit of the story. Chapters 29 and 30 are already in the works, as I want as much time to go through and work on the ending(s) as much as possible. This story arc has come to an end, which leaves us with 3 chapters that need content. I have already received many ideas for some plotlines, and some are in this story while others are being implemented in my other stories. So please, leave me the stories you want to be told in the reviews and I will put a few in for the coming chapters! Review time-**

**Megashady- actually, chapter 24 was a full 1000 words longer than chapter 23, believe it or not. It may just have felt shorter because there was a bit more action involved.**

**Yugioh- Fortunately, it seemed everything worked out for the poor guy**

**JakeZero-Thank you very much! I am trying to find small ways of getting my writing improved, whether it be better detail or other ways to bring the characters to life**

**LeaWright- The guy certainly takes a beating. Though I can't say what he might have attempted or not attempted in the prequel story.**

**Firudo-She certainly is an interesting one**

**Elasmotherium-When I get to that part in the Beginning of Life, you will see there is no possibility of Gangrel being alive. It's going to be….gory. And thank you! I can definitely tell from sheer number of reviews that this final stretch of the story has been much better received.**

**Guest-Unfortunately Awakening is the only Fire Emblem I have played, so I couldn't make fun names like that.**

**Empire of joy-No you are fine, I would say dialogue is one of my weaker areas. And when I was writing the Future Past Arc I realized all the kids say such similar stuff that it would just be repetitive to write out all their dialogue. At some point I should go back and clean up those chapters.**

**BlitzRick- Thank you! It is crazy to finally reach 100 reviews. I'm glad you are enjoying the story so far!**

**Qwert-I added a bit of detail in this chapter to hopefully help answer that**

**Ajani-He certainly has….interesting ideas for armor. Though Robin just wears a coat most of the time. I wonder which of them technically has better protection.**

**Thank you for all the feedback! Until next time!**

**-Austin**


	26. Exalted Twins

**Chapter 26: Exalted Twins **

Morgan let out a big sigh as she put the last troop report into her "finished" pile. It had been one month since the Shepherds returned from Plegia. Things were calm for a period, but as always there was some chaos beginning to stir. Ylissean scouts in Valm were reporting an army beginning to amass under an unknown leader. The army was nowhere near the force that Walhart the conqueror led, but it was sizeable in its own right. Since her promotion to Grandmaster, Morgan had not dealt with a full blown war, instead only moving troops around to protect Ylisse and position small forces throughout Plegia to make sure no military takeovers occurred. Valm had been quiet since the war that came to be known as the Valmese Rebellion, but history favors repetition. Since Morgan foresaw some leader wanting to grab power from the small nation-states of Valm, she had sent scouts to oversee any unnatural activity shortly after Grima's defeat.

According to the reports, a force on Valm's western coast of around 1000 men was marching, attacking the armies of the small countries with overwhelming strength. The strange thing was there were no reports of the leader of the army, or any report of the states being taken over. It was as if the army was fighting for fun, not power. These skirmishes had been occurring for the past four years, however no casualties were ever reported. The losing armies would surrender men to the military force, snowballing into the force it was today. Morgan was always aware of the battles, but figured the force wasn't a danger to anybody and instead decided that the best decision was to just let the army roam until it decided to take a more destructive course of action.

While the force had still not shown hostility, Valmese scouts reported the army asking for boats, which could only mean that the force was looking towards the continent of Ylisse. Now, with the halidom under threat, Morgan had no choice but to act. She had started drafting some initial plans two days ago, all of which involved using a small force similar to the Shepherds to dispatch the army. She did not need to beat the force, only discourage it from invading Ylisse. She sighed again and brushed her long blue hair with her fingers. Her plans had high probability of success, however she lacked in a severely important department; troops. There were many men in the Ylissean army, however most were greenhorns that lacked experience and only joined the military to make enough money for their families. Morgan couldn't just take the leaders of the armies either, at risk of a sneak attack during their absence. She pinched her nose as somebody knocked at the door to her office.

"It's open!" She yelled in a slightly annoyed tone. Her office was a mess, tactical manuals strewn all over her desk and floor. There was not much inside besides those items, save for a chair, a few candles, and a couple books that her grandmother gave to her. Morgan had chosen the smallest room in the castle for her office, which ended up being a supply closet. She did not want to take more extravagance than she needed, and working in such a small office kept her humble in her position of power.

"You sure are working late. What's troubling you so much? You never have a mess in your office"

Chrom stepped through the door, his eyes slightly widening at the mess. Morgan didn't have the same connection and camaraderie with the Exalt like her father did, but Chrom still cared for her all the time, Morgan being his granddaughter and all.

"I have all these strategies for that Valmese force, but no troops to execute them with. There are too many youths in the army, and I can't just take someone like Frederick away. I need to-"

Morgan paused briefly to scribble down another tactical idea that popped in her head on the corner of a manual on her desk.

"I need to find a good amount of troops and somebody to lead the charge, like you did for Father."

Chrom looked down at his granddaughter. She had grown up so much from the ball of energy she once was, but she was still full of happiness and saw the best in everyone. Seeing her stressed like she was saddened Chrom, reminding him of all the nights Robin had spent doing the same. Instantly, at Morgan's last words, an idea popped in his head.

"Hang on, I think I might have a solution for you!"

Chrom held up a finger and dashed out of Morgan's office, his cape fluttering behind him. Morgan stared out her door in confusion before slowly standing up, stretching her legs for the first time in many hours. After she wobbled for the first few steps as blood returned to her lower body, she quickly walked towards where Chrom had left to.

She followed the twisting hallways towards a side entrance of the castle, a few guards pointing her in the correct direction when she lost Chrom. When she emerged, she found herself facing the revamped training grounds for the Ylissean Elite. Frederick had been unhappy with the standard dirt training grounds the troops originally had and asked Chrom for funding to build the ultimate station for Frederick's training program. Now, the grounds were equipped with dummies, climbing walls, an obstacle course, and various secrets only Frederick and Chrom knew about that kept recruits on their toes. Today, a new young squad were standing in a line practicing a few sword swings, all of them dressed in blue and silver training garments. At the head of the training was none other than her twin, Marc.

Morgan glanced around the grounds as her eyes adjusted to the sunlight before falling on Chrom as he jogged over towards Marc. Her twin gave a signal and the recruits rested their wooden swords on the grounds, all of them already exhausted from the simple exercise.

"_They are never going to live through Frederick's training…."_ Morgan thought, shuddering as she recalled some of the more extreme measures the great knight used to take to keep the Shepherds in shape.

Chrom mumbled a few words to Marc before the two turned towards Morgan, staring from across the grounds.

Feeling awkward, Morgan gave a large grin and a wave before finding a sudden interest in making lines in the dirt with her shoes.

Marc called over one of his assistants and spoke to him briefly before marching over towards his sister, his long blue cape flowing behind him.

"I understand you are in need of a commander?" Marc called when he was close enough.

"Well, yes. There is some unrest over in Valm. It will be a long journey to get there, and I don't want to send out a large force when there has been so much trouble with Plegia. It's like Ylisse never gets a break" She said with a big sigh. Marc crossed his right arm over his chest and placed his left hand on his chin, staring at the ground in thought.

"Very well. I believe I can help you out." He said with a rather serious face.

Marc looked up at the sky before nudging himself to the side, where his recruits could not see his face from their standing point. He cracked a big grin at his sister.

"After all, the twins have to stick together. Sorry I have to keep such a serious façade, can't let the recruits see the fun side of me yet."

Morgan covered her mouth to hide her smile before giving her brother a big hug.

"Thank you! But wait, what about troops? I don't have any idea where we might get some, and we need some very fine soldiers if we are going to pull this off!"

Marc rested a heavy hand on Morgan's shoulder while turning and looking amongst his recruits.

"How many would you say we need?"

Morgan counted off the top of her head, going back through the information she had been given recently.

"Hmm…..if we can get soldiers near the expertise the Shepherds had while in Valm…I would say we could make do with about ten more people. If given greenhorns, we might as well bring the whole army."

Marc stared at his troops, racking his brain for possible soldiers. Finally, a light clicked, and he rushed on over towards the barracks, holding a finger up much as his grandfather had done a few minutes earlier.

After a few moments he returned with three more men in tow. One wore a green shirt with long white pants, chainmail covering the exposed part of his arms. He had piercing blue eyes and long blonde hair that was pushed back by a red bandana, and lastly had a two handed sword strapped to his back.

Another was a girl with light brown hair that was tied back into a ponytail. She had green eyes and wore some sort of white tunic with armor covering her arms. She had leg protectors on that extended from her knees down, connected to her tunic with straps, a uniform strangely similar to Cordelia's. She wielded a long white spear with three prongs at the end.

The final member was a peculiar looking boy with shoulder length red hair that was tied at the forehead with a white strip of cloth to keep his hair out of his eyes. He wore a sleeveless blue shirt and brown pants, no armor in sight. He was holding a strange type of paddle that Morgan could only guess was his weapon.

Marc approached Morgan and waved a hand over the men he had brought in a manner of introduction.

"These are three recruits I have been keeping a close eye on. They all just kind of…..appeared in Ylisse on day, much as I imagine we did. They only have vague memories of their pasts, but they have proven themselves more than capable on the battlefield. The one with the spear is named Alisha, she apparently was some form of royalty but that is all she can recall from her past. The one with the sword seems to have lost the ability to talk, so we call him Kluss. Whenever I ask him about himself, he just stares off into space. The boy is Hayato, he keeps talking about some other kingdom that I have never heard of."

"I'm not a boy!" Hayato yelled. Morgan stared at him for a few seconds, her memory flashing quickly to Ricken, as if the two were alternate versions of each other.

"So….you are a girl then?" Marc asked with full seriousness.

"Huh? No..I..I.." Hayato's mouth opened and shut in shock at the implications of his previous statement. Finally he turned as red as his hair and yelled at the top of his lungs.

"I'M A MAN!"

Marc failed to contain his laughter and bent over, his sides shaking as the recruits that he was training earlier were startled at the outburst. Morgan covered her mouth as Alisha snickered. Even Kluss cracked a smile, a thing Morgan could tell he didn't do often.

"Yes, we know Hayato. You don't have to remind us all the time" Alisha said as she placed a hand on the boy's arm, whether it was out of comfort or teasing, Morgan didn't know.

Hayato turned away and stormed off towards the barracks they had emerged from, mumbling something about a village along the way.

Morgan looked up at the two soldiers remaining and realized she had not introduced herself.

"Hi there! I'm Morgan, Marc's twin if you couldn't tell! I don't know how much you have been informed about, but we are needing some people for an elite mission. I will be our tactician while Marc leads the troops."

Alisha seemed to think over the words before giving a gentle smile.

"I see. What exactly will we be doing? I believe I should be able to help, I have been trained in the spear for quite a while"

"There has been an army emerging over in Valm, a continent west of here. Reports have come in saying they will invade Ylisse, so we have to get over there and put a stop to this before there is any unrest."

Alisha nodded at the explanation while Kluss simply readjusted the sheath strap over his chest before turning and walking back where Hayato had gone.

"Don't mind him, he really is a nice guy, he just doesn't talk" Alisha explained as she waved a hand dismissively.

"Right. Anyways, I asked some scouts to bring us reports on a few old Shepherds, I believe they will love to get in on the action." Marc said. Morgan frowned a bit in response.

"I didn't want to involve them in this one, they have already fought many wars and are getting old. I don't want to risk anybody while we are out there."

Marc gave her a reassuring smile.

"That's why we aren't getting the old folks"

* * *

Two cloaked figures entered a bar on the northern edge of Ylisse. They had left their wagon guarded by three other hooded figures, with a Pegasus rider flying quickly away. The bar was almost empty, save for a few villagers and a rowdy bunch at the large center table. Many bottles lay on the floor around the table, and many empty pitchers lay on top it. The group had emptied out the ale supplies the bartender had after laying a sack of gold in front of him.

"This….This was a real bad idea. Ma is gonna kill me" a man with red hair similar to Hayato's said. A large staff laid next to him at his seat.

"Oh shut it, will you? Look at all the fine young ladies surrounding us. Perhaps we should enchant them with a duet, what say you, Gerome?" A man with blue hair said in a song like voice, looking with a grin at the few ladies in the tavern.

Another man that had his face planted on the table muttered some incoherent response, his gold hair a mess.

The three men were nearly unconscious when the two hooded figures approached them.

"huh? Who are ya?" The red haired man said, his face twisted in struggle to keep his eyes focused on the newcomers.

Morgan smiled as she pulled back her hood, letting her long blue hair fall down.

"Hey Brady! Inigo! Gerome! It's us, your favorite twins!"

There was almost no response other than a groan from all three, none wanting the loud noise at the moment. Morgan puffed her cheeks in annoyance.

"Hey! Listen! We are going over to Valm to fight-"

"Will there be beautiful ladies?" Inigo interrupted her. Morgan stammered before closing her eyes.

"Yes Inigo. There will be beautiful ladies"

"YES!" Inigo shouted as he pumped his fist in the air.

"Where do I sign up?"

"Inigo, ya don't even know what they are doing" Brady mumbled from the surface of the table.

"It does not matter, dear Brady. Where there is a damsel in distress, I must go to their aid, otherwise I am-"

"Just….just go to the wagon outside" Marc interrupted him, shaking his head.

Inigo stumbled to his feet before walking at a slow pace towards the exit.

"Aaaaanyways, there is some unrest in Valm and we are needing a few volunteers to go calm it down." Morgan explained.

A girlish scream and a large smacking sound came from outside, everybody in the bar turning in surprise.

"And please decide quickly before Alisha kills Inigo" Marc added.

Gerome stood up, the two twins surprised to see he had forgone his mask, before shuffling outside, presumably to get in the wagon and stop his friend from whatever disaster was occurring.

"Alright, alright, I'll come too. Ya better be thankful" Brady mumbled as he followed behind the other two men. Morgan looked cheerily at her brother before they made their leave.

"One spot down, two to go"

* * *

The wagon entered Regna Ferox with ease, the keepers of the Longfort quickly recognizing the twins. Under the scouts' advising, they made their way to some ruins along the Eastern edge of Regna Ferox.

Morgan quickly spotted two familiar faces, exactly where the scouts said they would be.

"Noire! Nah!" She yelled as she leapt from her spot on the wagon, rushing over to the two.

"M-Morgan!" Noire stammered as she quivered behind her bow, which she had brought out thinking they were being attacked.

"What are you doing here?" Nah asked.

"We don't have much time to explain, there is somebody we need to fight over in Valm. Are you in?"

Nah looked uncomfortable at the sudden question, unsure how to ask.

"B-but do we really have to fight…I mean…it's scary…."

"Aw, Noire, don't worry, we-" Morgan said before Nah interrupted with a sigh.

"Just wait."

"B-b-…BLOOD AND THUNDER! WE WILL CRUSH THE BONES OF THOSE THAT OPPOSE YLISSE!" Noire finally snapped into her second personality.

"Yea, we will come along." Nah said as she shook her head, then walked towards the wagon with Noire behind her.

"Well that was easy" Morgan said aloud to herself as she followed the others.

With one stop to go, the group set out for Khan Flavia's castle.

It took a week to arrive at the castle, the snow having piled up on the roads and making it difficult to maneuver. Having arrived, Morgan and Marc disembarked while the rest of the party stuck outside with the wagon. The visit would be short, and there was no need to bring more people than necessary.

Morgan gave a wave to the guard, flashing a piece of paper inscribed with a note from Chrom, granting her access to any property in Regna Ferox. The twins entered into an elaborate foyer, a stone building that seemed to stretch on forever. The walls seemed to go as high as the tallest trees, and a red carpet was stretched along the floor all the way to the throne in the very back. A familiar voice brought the twins to reality, ending their amazement at the expanse of the hall.

"I see Robin sent his little ones here! Where is that little scoundrel, anyways?" Khan Flavia bellowed as she entered the room from a side door.

"I'm afraid Father won't be coming with us on this expedition. He is taking some well-deserved rest" Marc responded in his military voice. He didn't have much interaction with Flavia, so he never picked up on her jokes or her mannerisms like the other future children did.

"Don't mind the stick in the mud, milady, we are truly blessed to be in the presence of an angel such as yourself" Inigo chimed in as he snaked his way to the Khan's side.

"Boy, you either get more brave or more stupid every time I see you" Flavia said as she put the flowery boy into a headlock. In the commotion of Inigo trying to escape, another voice emerged from the throne room.

"Gawds! Can't somebody sleep in here!"

"S-S-Severa!" Noire stammered as the girl with brown ponytails walked into view.

"Noire! Gerome! Everyone! What are you doing here!" Severa exclaimed in a lapse of her normal attitude.

"Heya Severa, we came to get ya and yer boyfriend to take care of some business in Valm" Brady explained with a rather annoyed expression.

"Well….more or less" Nah added.

Morgan brushed her blue hair out of her face and gave a smirk to her old friend.

"Yea, we are gonna go kick some butt! There is some unrest that we are going to take care of. And your truly is in charge" Morgan shouted the last part with a fist pump.

"Augh, he is not my boyfriend! And Morgan, why didn't you come to me first? You know I'm the strongest one here" Severa bragged with a sly smile.

"Oh, you are now, well why don't we see about-" Inigo started saying before being interrupted.

"What is this!? My fellow heroes have all gathered to seek the attention of the great Owain!? Why, we must join forces to vanquish-" Owain appeared from the same entranceway Severa had come from, his black hair growing long like his father's.

"SHUT IT!" Severa yelled as she smacked the back of her boyfriend's head.

"OW!"

"Ah, a lover's quarrel. How can such flowers fight with each other" Inigo chimed in to break up the fight occurring before their eyes.

"He isn't my boyfriend!" Severa yelled again. Owain looked up at her with sad eyes.

"Wh-what?"

Severa turned red and grumbled something before giving Owain a quick kiss in the cheeks and a mumbled apology.

The rest of the group broke out in laughter at the two, who obviously had a very unique relationship.

"So, can we count on you two to help out?" Marc finally asked. He was still a little uncomfortable around the other future children, but he was doing his best not to let it show.

"Of course! The great Owain would never let-"

"Yes, we will help" Severa interrupted while glaring at Owain. The boy grinned wide in response.

"Port Ferox already has your ships prepared, Chrom sent word quickly. You can rest here for tonight and take off in the morning. Rejoice in the battle, I haven't gotten any action in years" Flavia said with a hint of fatigue in her voice.

"Thank you very much, Khan Flavia. We will try to get out of your hair as early as possible." Morgan answered as she jerked her head to signal the others to get whatever they need from the wagon for the night.

"Say, who are those three?" Severa asked as she pointed towards Alisha, Hayato and Kluss.

"Don't worry, you will get plenty of time to meet them on our journey to Valm. For now, let's just get some rest" Nah said as she yawned and headed towards the wagon.

Alisha was the first to approach Severa.

"My name is Alisha, I have joined Marc to help make this world a better place. I hope I have not offended you somehow, I still don't know much about this world."

Severa looked confused before Hayato added into the conversation.

"Trust me, it will be better not to worry about that. We can talk later, I'm tired from walking all day"

Hayato made his exit with most of the others, leaving just Kluss.

"And what about you?" Severa asked. Kluss simply looked at her but didn't say anything.

"Hey, answer me!"

"He doesn't talk!" Hayato yelled from his room. Severa let out a "hrmph" before storming out, leaving Kluss all by himself. He looked around the room, thinking of his homeland. He unsheathed his sword and looked at the sacred blade, thinking of a lost kingdom that he had to leave behind. He would be sure to save this kingdom, no matter the cost. He had promised an old friend to always seek out and destroy evil, and he wouldn't stop just because he had left his home.

* * *

Morgan lit a candle in her room to look over another map of Valm. She had secretly been having anxiety attacks since they embarked on the journey, and it had only been getting worse. She did her best to hide it from the others, but it was getting tough.

"_I wonder if this was always how Dad felt…"_ Morgan thought as she moved a few plastic soldiers onto the map. She had already gone through hundreds of battle situations before trying to sleep, but since sleep wouldn't take over her mind, she began to set up more abstract methods of how the Valmese might attack her. A knocking at the door brought her back into the world.

"It's open!" Morgan called, wondering who could be visiting this late.

"Hey" Marc responded as he opened the door. He had lost his armor and was now wearing blue clothes similar to their mother's.

"Oh, hey what's up?" Morgan asked as she turned back to the soldiers on the board, tugging her coat tighter around her to keep the cold off of her.

"I was reading through the reports. You plan on fighting one thousand troops with just twelve of us?"

Morgan turned to look at her brother. If he was truly concerned about their chances, his face didn't show it. It was as if he was just genuinely curious, not scared.

"Given the scouting reports, they all follow one leader. The troops are very spread out, almost as if they are assigned to divisions that act independently. All we have to do is strike the main force where the leader is and beat him. Without their commander, the group will break up."

"And how do we know which group is the main one?"

Morgan shrugged as she stared at her board.

"We get lucky. Or ask somebody. The group isn't exactly hostile, they seem to be fighting just for sport, nothing else. We just need to convince them to stay away from Ylisse. We can't have any more unrest stirring in Plegia"

Marc nodded absently.

"Very well, commander. Just let me know how I can help."

Morgan thought for a second then called her brother over to sit across from her.

"Do you know how to play chess?"

Marc smirked a bit.

"I believe I used to play with father quite a bit. Prepare yourself."

* * *

A man dressed in all brown leather with a red bandana tied around his head to hold back his long black hair ran into the dining tent at his army's temporary camp. He quickly located a man wearing all white armor with a black bandana holding back his blue hair, which had grown long, ending at his waist.

"Sir, the scouts are reporting that Ylisseans will be coming to combat us."

The blue haired man didn't even look up from the food that he had been eating.

"It is no matter. Nobody can stand up to our strength."

"Should I alert the rest of the troops to be ready?

"The troops are always ready. The Immortal Army embraces any challenge and will crush the Ylisseans."

"Are you sure?"

"Do you question me, boy?"

"N-no!"

"Good. When the Ylisseans arrive, our division will take care of them, personally. They will wish they had not crossed out path."

The blue haired man rose from his seat and walked towards the exit. The other man let out a big sigh, wishing his commander was a bit more concerned about the army that had crushed Walhart. Finally, he mumbled out a few words before exiting the tent.

"Of course, Lord Priam."

* * *

**A/N: Hey, everybody! I tried getting a chapter out a bit more quickly, compared to how long it has taken the other chapters. I got some requests to do something with Morgan and Marc, so these next few chapters leading to the end will be following them! Let me know what you think! Review time!**

**Grayjedi- Thank you! I'm glad I could make you laugh!**

**Leawright- Well, he certainly cares for his daughter**

**Elasmotherium- I see what you mean, however I have had a certain idea for what to do with the sequel. Don't worry, it won't be milking the last bit of Robin and Lucina, I actually think it will be the best story I write, by far. I have big plans for it**

**Shyguy skull land- Yes, I know what he was referring to, but I never really think those were exactly realistic. Plus, Gangrel will be deader than dead in the Beginning of Life. You shall see when I get to that part. And sure, you can use Lucifer.**

**Firudo saki- I'm glad I could brighten your day!**

**Until next time!**

**Austin**


	27. A Long Journey

**Last time on TRTL: Morgan assembles a group of Shepherds to sail to Valm and combat the Immortal Army after receiving word that they planned to invade Ylisse. The Immortal Army commander, Priam, learns of Morgan's journey to Valm and readies himself for battle.**

* * *

**Chapter 27: A Long Journey**

Morgan stared over the bow of the ship that had been given to them at Port Ferox. They had been traveling for over a week now, and they still had a long ways to go. Since they were using a warship, the trip took about a month, versus a week on a small merchant ship. The weight of all the group's cargo held them down and prevented them from moving quickly, leaving Morgan with a lot of free time aboard the ship. The endless sea stretched before her as she ran through different strategy scenarios, something her mind had now been trained to do. She was finally leading a real battle and needed to be as sure as she could.

"Morgan? How can you stare at the sea for so long?" A voice called out from behind her.

The grandmaster turned to see Alisha standing on deck, the moonlight reflecting off her polished armor.

"Ah, hey Alisha. Sorry, I'm just a little nervous." Morgan responded, drumming her fingers against the ship railing to try and put her energy somewhere. Alisha hesitated before leaning her back against the railing next to Morgan, her eyes cast up at the night sky.

"I know what you mean. It has been a while but….I also have gone through many battles. I may not look it, but I helped save my world, though it seems so long ago…." Alisha trailed off as her memories brought her back to the familiar face of a boy that was so close to her.

"Really? What sort of things happened back in your world? At least, what can you remember?" Morgan asked, her attention moving from their oncoming battle to the tale her new comrade was telling her.

"Well…" Alisha cast her eyes down to her waist, her memories only bits and pieces that refused to fit together.

"I can't exactly fit the whole story together, but I remember there was a boy that came to save the world from an unseen evil. I was fortunate enough to meet him, and I helped him to eventually defeat that evil. Many details have been lost, I guess due to my transfer to this world. I can't remember his face, no matter how important that boy was" Alisha said with a giggle, a distant sadness in her voice. Morgan prickled a bit, realizing it was a bit insensitive to bring up lost memories, having experience in the field herself.

"I didn't mean to bring up bad memories….I know how it feels to have gaps in your memory, and how much it hurts to have a name or whole event on the tip of your tongue but have it never come"

Alisha perked up at Morgan's confession, her interest now turning to the girl, their roles switched.

"You have lost your memories?"

Morgan grinned, once again her mind wandering towards the past.

"I woke up in an old sanctuary with no memories but of my father. He was the greatest tactician to ever serve Ylisse, and I love him so much. I'm not sure what caused my memories of him to remain, but I was able to recall every moment with him. Unfortunately, everything else in my memory was as if someone covered a painting in fog, I could think and look as long as I wanted, but nothing ever became clear. "

Alisha looked towards the ground, unsure of what to say in response.

"It isn't a big deal, don't worry. I learned from my father long ago that I shouldn't worry about regaining past memories, I should just concentrate on making new ones!" Morgan added as she noticed the change in Alisha's demeanor. The brunette girl gave a soft smile.

"Maybe he is right about that…." Alisha stared off into space before a thought crossed her mind.

"How did your father figure out that would be the best path?"

Morgan gave her well-known grin that she had whenever she spoke of her father.

"He was an amnesiac himself. He spent a lot of time trying to regain his lost memories but it was like chasing a wyvern on foot. He realized after a few years that his memories wouldn't return, though he wouldn't let that affect him. He decided that no matter who he was in the past, he was going to help Chrom and protect the Shepherds. Which is good, because when he finally found the answers he was looking for, it brought nothing but pain to him. Which is another reason why you might not want to look for memories. He believed that the body wants to block painful memories, so finding them may bring you some closure on your past, but it might also reopen a wound."

Alisha pondered over Morgan's words. Were her memories truly forgotten due to the pain they brought her?

"Anyways, thank you for taking my mind off of everything. I think I might be able to get some sleep now" Morgan said cheerfully as she walked towards the captain's quarters. Alisha was left at the railing, staring at the sea after exchanging goodnights. She kept seeing that boy's face, but she wasn't sure what emotion she was feeling with the memory. Everything was too cloudy for her, and she only strained herself by thinking. Finally, she decided to take Morgan's words to heart, and put her memories to the side for now. As she made her silent dedication, a second figure appeared beside her at the railing.

"Ah, Kluss. I didn't notice you"

The boy in green nodded in response, his stern face staring out at the sea, no doubt thinking of his own troubles.

"Sorry, I've just been thinking of everything that has happened to us since we wound up in this world. It's hard to believe it's already been two years since we both showed up here….as well as Hayato… our little trio has been through a lot. Coming together in the forest…being discovered by the Ylissean league….meeting commander Marc…training together…and all those special missions we had to go on. I think my legs are still sore from that espionage trip to Plegia. You really are skilled at a lot of things, Kluss. And I don't think I could ever repay you for the kindness you always show us"

Alisha smiled softly at the boy, who only was able to offer a nod in return. The moonlight reflecting off the water shed some light on the boy's hand, which was holding a brown cotton blanket. Before she knew it, Kluss wrapped the blanket around her shoulders, the warmth making her realize how cold it had gotten. Alisha tucked her face down into the blanket to hide her blush.

"And once again….you only show us kindness when we can't return the favor. I promise Kluss….I'll get you back to your homeland…"

The boy gave another nod and disappeared to a different part of the ship. Alisha held the blanket tight as memories of the past three years came back to her, and she realized what Morgan's father had really meant about focusing on today. If her memories never came back, at least she could fill up her mind with good ones from now on. And she truly had with her companions at her side.

* * *

"Stop Chrom! I'm not going through this again!"

A muffled voice came out from one of the many rooms of the castle, reaching Sumia's ears as she did her daily stroll of the grounds. The voice was a familiar one, unmistakable at that. It belonged to none other than the previous grandmaster of Ylisse, Robin. Her interest perked, Sumia began to follow the sounds of a bed creaking and grunts of two men. She finally reached the door where the sounds came from, it being open just enough to see into. She peaked inside to see her husband holding Robin down on top of the bed. And both of them were shirtless. And covered in sweat.

"Dammit, I'm not going to the stupid political meetings for you!" Robin roared. He was down to just his normal trousers. A fine suit jacket and shirt laid on the chair next to them, obviously fit for Chrom. The Exalt was wearing the matching pants to the jacket, which Sumia had dressed him in this morning.

"What'll it take? Money? Power? You name your price!" Chrom yelled, his face frantic as the hour of the leaders' summit approached. All of the diplomats around Ylisse and Valm were meeting at the Ylissean palace to go over their treaties and the state of the world. In reality, it turned into a three day long event where diplomats of small countries made pleas for aid, and nobles spoke in manners similar to Virion about how great they were. The whole thing was absolutely awful.

Robin stopped resisting and wore an annoyed face.

"You know what I want" He said with a venomous tone. Chrom grit his teeth.

"I can't do that!"

"Then the deal is off." Robin said bluntly as he cast a lazy wind spell to push Chrom off of him. As Robin walked towards the door, Chrom dove and grabbed his ankle.

"Fine, fine! You win! But only one time!"

"Then I'll only cover for you for one day" Robin replied coldly. Chrom still hung to the tactician's ankle, desperately thinking over his options.

"Fine! Three times! You cheating bastard! You can't prey on a poor old man at his weakest hour"

Robin smirked as he pulled Chrom to his feet.

"Very well, I shall go inform the lady at once"

Chrom sat back on the bed with his head hung in defeat.

Sumia, meanwhile, hid behind the door, her face heated from her imagination at what deal the two possibly just struck. Did it involve just the two men? Or did it involve her? It's not that she didn't find the tactician attractive, but he was her son-in-law for Naga's sake! Unless….

"Sumia, you are thinking out loud again" Robin said as he passed the queen. He showed only indifference at hearing her thoughts, as he had long grown used to these episodes.

Sumia stared at the retreating tactician before running into the room and tackling Chrom.

"What exactly did you promise him?" She asked sternly. Chrom turned his head as a nervous grin appeared on his face.

"Wellllll…."

* * *

"I CAN GO ON A DATE WITH INIGO?" Cynthia squealed at Robin.

Robin clenched up at the loud noise, before relaxing a bit.

"Yep, your father gave you approval. Go on ahead and start preparing for your date, you'll be able to go once-" Robin said before Cynthia rushed out of the room. Finally alone, Robin broke out laughing, happy to finally succeed in creating Chrom's nightmare.

* * *

"Finally! All that sea salt was ruining my hair!" Severa yelled out as the ship carrying the group landed.

"Beware! This land will now be under the rule of the legendary hero, the bringer of justice, the-" Owain started proclaiming before a tired Inigo gave him a lazy swat to the back of the head.

"Shush, would you. I haven't slept since we hit that storm and I'm about to drop dead"

"Geez, you guys need to learn what it means to be a man!" Hayato yelled at his new comrades, struggling to hide his own fatigue.

"Hey it's okay everyone, let's just find an inn so we can all rest" Alisha chipped in, doing his best to dissolve the inevitable brawl.

The new group of Shepherds, which was now named the Justice Cabal at Owain's suggestion, had grown close in their long journey overseas. Everyone got to know the quirks of the others and found comradery.

"Any longer and I started ta think Gerome would ride Nah to Valm" Brady said as he scratched his head, his eyes squinting at the bright sun. He had spent most of his time in the cabin of the ship practicing different forms of healing magic. Hayato had been a surprisingly good help, discussing the magic he was familiar with, a form completely unknown to the rest of the group. By combining the magic techniques, Brady was able to form a healing magic that had the strength of a close up stave but could reach long distances in an instant.

"I would do no such thing." Gerome answered bluntly from the back of the group. Unsurprisingly, he and Kluss got along the most of anyone on the ship, likely due to their shared silent natures. Kluss demonstrated his skills with both a blade and bow, skills that matched both Chrom and Virion. The ability to use both proved useful when teamed with Gerome, who could dash in with Minerva quickly to distract an opponent, opening a gap for Kluss to fire arrows, then retreat while the green clad boy attacked with his sword. The two spent most of the voyage practicing this technique on the bow of the ship and seemed to have it perfected. Kluss had spent the rest of his time helping Noire in her bow practice. He didn't seem fazed by her dual personality and was a surprisingly good teacher for somebody that didn't speak.

Alisha had spent the majority of her time speaking to Morgan at length about their amnesias, with Marc joining in on occasion to discuss his own thoughts. For a ragtag group, everybody found their niche quickly and Morgan was able to form better strategies based on the new developments. It had been a month since they began their journey, with it finally ending back at Valm Harbor.

Morgan looked around at her fatigued soldiers. If they were to fight like this, there wouldn't be any way for them to win against the large Valmese force.

"Alright everyone, we will stay through the night at the local inn. All expenses will be covered by the Ylissean treasury, courtesy of Exalt Chrom, but please try not to be too hungover tomorrow" Morgan announced while shaking a large bag of coins. Chrom had spared no expense in this expedition, giving Morgan more than enough funds for food, lodging, and weapons. The Justice Cabal sent up cheers as they dragged themselves towards the local inn, thankful to be getting some rest.

* * *

"Lord Priam, we have reports that the Ylisseans have landed at Valm Harbor." A scout dressed in red-dyed armor announced inside the ornate tent of the Valmese commander. The commander, Priam, scratched at his cheek, thinking over the news.

"Very well. They will likely rest tonight, so we will grant them the respite. I don't fight an enemy when they are weak. Tell the men to prepare for battle. I will personally lead this battle. We will show the Ylisseans how strong we truly are."

"At once, milord" The scout said with a quick bow before exiting the tent.

Priam looked around his tent at the various spoils from battle and gifts different villages had given him in exchange for his force's protection. It brought back memories of his entire journey with his military force, the Immortal Army. He had received the legendary blade Ragnell long ago, cementing his fate in combat. He initially started work as a mercenary once he was able to fight properly, working different jobs around Valm and Ylisse. His renown quickly grew as the best fighter among the mercenaries, but this quickly proved to be more harm than good. Leaders of nations were competing for the highest bid to have Priam join their army permanently. When Priam realized this made him no better than some tool, he denied all offers and began his own mercenary guild, the Immortal Army.

He set up his camp close to the nation of Valm, hoping to get word of his guild spread quickly by the many travelers that came north. Soon, fighters arrived to challenge Priam in a duel, wanting to get their own fame by defeating the warrior. When all of them inevitably lost, they agreed to join the guild and follow the hero wherever he went. Priam treated all his men sternly, but only to make sure they were prepared for the battles to come. He cared for each member of his guild and made sure to get to know each one of them. He was growing his army in order to fight evil, after all.

When Walhart came to power, Priam initially sided with the conqueror, impressed by the red giant's power. However, Priam quickly realized the cruelty in the man and broke their alliance. From then on, his guild worked in guerilla tactics to fight the massive Valmese army, never losing a battle. Unfortunately, the Immortal Army lacked a tactician that could lead Priam to a victory, so they were forced to simply win battles when he was attacked but never truly force a dent in the Valmese. When the Ylisseans arrived and began breaking apart the army, word spread quickly to Priam. He was intrigued by the power of this small force and wanted to challenge them to a duel, especially against their legendary tactician. He never got the chance, as a large section of the Valmese army pushed his guild to the southern tip of the continent while the Ylisseans claimed victory.

Priam learned that the Shepherds had split up and realized he wouldn't get a chance to fight the Ylisseans after all. He was upset, but decided to continue working with the Immortal Army to become the strongest fighting force of all time. Many men would join their group and nations paid to have protection. Priam led battles against opposing groups, never losing and often gaining more men in the process. Since killing was not allowed by Priam, some Valmese began calling them the Righteous Army. Once Priam ran out of people to fight in Valm, he grew restless.

After many nights of thinking, he decided to turn his focus towards the Ylissean continent. Word spread quickly of his plans to find a new frontier, which ultimately led to the Ylisseans sending the very group Priam had wanted to fight all these years. His grip tightened around Ragnell's hilt as he thought of fighting the Ylissean tactician. He may finally find his equal in battle after all these years, the true goal he was looking for. Being strong was always good, but Priam had grown bored of easily winning so many fights. All he really wanted was a challenge, and he expected the Ylisseans to give him just that.

Priam gave another look around the tent before tightening his black bandana, then exited to prepare his men for battle.

* * *

"Tomorrow is really it. We will face this army head on" Morgan said to herself as she laid in bed. She attempted to get rest but found her adrenaline was preventing her.

"Dad, how did you get past this nervousness? I never really got to see you during your prime, I only got to hear stories. I never imagined the kind of stress you went through. I'm only facing a force of a thousand men, and I can feel my heart beating out my chest. How did you ever fight the Valmese?"

Morgan turned on her side and stared at the open tactical manual next to her. It used to be her father's, and had many notes written in the margins. Morgan read extensively through the manual many times, but still didn't feel the confidence she thought she needed. Finally, she let out a big sigh. She sat up in her bed, her coat still wrapped around her shoulders. After giving a big stretch, she walked over to the lone candle in the room and blew it out, surrounding herself in darkness.

"Please, Dad. Please give me the strength to win this battle. Tomorrow… tomorrow I get tested to see if I'm worthy of being called your daughter!"

* * *

**A/N: Hey there! We are now just 3 chapters from the end of this story! Thank you for everyone that has been leaving reviews as well as following/favoriting this story! Thank you for the support and I hope to hear more from you guys! Also, I went back and corrected Alisha's name in the previous chapter. Silly spelling. Review time!**

**Leawright- a new generation means new strengths and weaknesses, and they lack a certain tactician. I wonder how it will go**

**Mouser-Thank you! I hope you continue to enjoy the story!**

**Elasmotherium- I might put Ophelia in, but not in a direct way. It's hard to explain. I wouldn't exactly call Priam a villain, but he is the antagonist at this point.**

**Jakezero- a disaster it is. I wonder what will happen**

**Weixiao- the mystery of kluss continues. Who will figure out his identity first?**

**AverageAsian- I might throw it in, but since the story is winding down it might be hard to find a place. Still, I'll give it a shot.**

**Until next time!**

**-Austin**


	28. A Final Battle

**Chapter 28: A Final Battle**

Night time had fallen over Ylisse as Robin traced his steps through the dark halls. He had just left a strategy briefing over Morgan's standings; the group had landed in Valm and planned to attack in the morning. He tried to clear his mind of the fears he had for her safety, but couldn't find any reprieve. He truly believed in his daughter's ability, but as a parent he couldn't help himself.

"She will be fine. She will be fine. She will be fine. She has trained for this for years." Robin kept repeating to himself, though it didn't seem to have an effect.

His mind cleared slightly as he heard the sound of his youngest twins laughing from one of the rooms down the hall. Lucina and their children had come to stay at the castle while Robin served as interim grandmaster, and the children seemed to enjoy the time with their grandparents and great aunt. Currently, Lissa was visiting the room to have tea with Lucina, and seemed to be showing her pranks to the little ones, as evident by Megan's screams.

Robin shook his head as he reached for the door handle but stopped abruptly when he heard a clash of something behind him. He quickly turned around and grasped his thunder tome, his eyes scanning the dark corridors in front of him. Unlucky as he was, he happened to have been given a room at the intersection of two corridors, so he kept his back to the wall and scanned the darkness, wary of whatever would be coming his way. They had intruders before, but none had ever gotten this far.

Robin turned quickly to his right as he heard footsteps down the hall. He squinted and could make out a dark silhouette rushing the other direction, with candlelight reflecting off something in their hand, likely some valuable.

"Huh….that is strange…" Robin muttered to himself. To his knowledge, there was not much down that particular corridor. The treasury was at the bottom floor, while his room was up on the third. There was nothing of particular value down there. Except something didn't sit right with Robin. He was feeling like he forgot something…

"_Oh yes, Robin before I forget-I moved the Fire Emblem up to the top floor, down the hall from your room. I felt like bandits would never check an empty wing, so I removed it from my room. Keep an eye on it, would you?"_

"Damn it, Chrom!" Robin yelled as he sprinted after the figure.

"_Chrom told me that only 20 minutes ago! Who could have heard that, and known where my room was? That's impossible!" _Robin thought to himself as he ran down the hall, the candles on the walls becoming blurs in his vision.

He was slowly catching up to the dark figure, no matter the number of turns they took. Robin was shocked that the figure was not getting lost in the twisting passageways, as if they had lived here all their lives. But Robin could not recognize the figure, and somebody that was known to him would not take off running, so it was highly unlikely that they would know these halls that well.

As Robin got closer, he could make out the swaying of a black coat on the figure, with particularly familiar purple markings on the side….

"You stole one of my coats too!?" Robin yelled, his pace seeming to quicken as he realized one of his precious coats was gone. He certainly had a lot of questions swirling, such as how the intruder possibly took a coat while Lucina and Lissa were in the room the entire time. Robin peered ahead and noticed the two were quickly approaching a dead end. The hallway came to a stop with nothing but a window, though this jump would be suicide for any normal person.

"This is the end of the line! Stop now!" Robin yelled. The figure turned its head briefly, the hood tugged up tight so that no facial featured could be seen.

"Elwind" The figure said nonchalantly as it extended its free hand and released a blade of wind that knocked open the window before jumping onto the windowsill, the wind blowing the tail of the coat, the whole scene as if from a movie. Robin stopped abruptly before crashing into the figure.

"Who are you!?" Robin yelled. He still couldn't see anything about the figure. There was some familiarity in the voice and stature, but Robin couldn't put his finger on it.

The figure seemed to consider Robin for a moment, then turned its back to him and stared down at the ground below.

"Enjoy the present and future you currently hold. The past will not be so pleasant." The figure said before leaning forward and falling out the window. Robin rushed forward and leaned out to watch the figure plunge downwards.

"Now, Felicia!" The figure barked. It was surrounded by a soft blue light then disappeared before ever hitting the ground. Robin quickly recognized the magic as a rescue staff, though from where it was used he could not tell.

"Dammit!" Robin yelled as he retraced his steps back towards where the Fire Emblem had been held. The candles burned together in a blur as Robin recounted what just happened.

"Damn! What the hell did he mean by 'the past will not be so pleasant'? What does that possibly be?" Robin wondered aloud, angry at having been tricked so easily. He finally arrived at the dark oak door that led to the Fire Emblem's chambers. He ripped the door open to find that, sure enough, the Emblem was gone from its pedestal. Cursing to himself, Robin turned and ran back down the hall towards his room.

As he made his way, he spotted a guard walking through the corridors on patrol, oblivious to what just occurred.

"Guard! Run to Chrom and tell him the Emblem has been stolen! Now!" Robin ordered, adding the last part as he saw the guard hesitate with confusion. The guard scampered off into the darkness, his iron boots clanging against the stone floor along the way. Robin pulled the door to his room open to find, as he expected, Lissa and Lucina happily playing with the children. Lucina looked up and quickly lost her smile as she saw what a mess her husband was. She quickly stood and made her way to him, running a hand through his unruly white hair.

"What happened Robin!? And where did you run off too?" Lucina asked.

"Somebody broke in and- wait…." Robin started explaining before something his wife said caused a signal to go off.

"What do you mean where did I run off to? I've been at the war council meeting" Robin said. The information caused Lucina to look confused for a moment, before widening.

"But Robin, you came back only fifteen minutes ago to get one of your coats, then said you had something important to take care of" Lucina said.

Robin looked into her eyes and saw she was completely serious.

"Lucina, I have not been back to this room the whole time. Are you sure it was not some imposter?" Robin asked. Lucina had seen the perpetrator. She was the only clue to this mess. The last look alike Robin had was killed many years prior, and he doubted the double's return. However, he needed as many clues as to who stole the Emblem as possible.

"I'm sure it was you. Nobody else has those eyes, or looks at me so fondly, or especially has our wedding ring. Now quit playing jokes Robin." Lucina said sternly.

"_Wedding ring?"_ Robin wondered. The pair had a very special ring set made in Valm from the Mila tree that was one of a kind. There was not a single one like it, as Tiki had assured him. There was no possibility of somebody making a copy that could trick Lucina.

Robin turned and looked around the room before silently stepping back into the hall, his mind swirling, leaving Lucina and Lissa in confusion.

"What the hell is going on here!?" He finally yelled, his voice carrying through the dark corridors.

* * *

"Hold position!" Morgan barked out at the group behind her. The group had left early in the morning, making their way inland toward the Immortal Army"s last reported location. They came to a prairie with a few crumbled houses, with hills visible along the fringe. The grass was matted down and the air was as dry as the Plegian desert. Besides for a small breeze at their backs, the Justice Cabal was suffering from the immense heat bearing down on them. They were already rationing their water on the journey to this place, a nightmare for any tactician. The group was tired and dragging their feet, not used to marching again. Everyone except Marc and his three soldiers, that is.

"Morgan, are you alright?" Alisha asked as she approached the tactician's side. Alisha had not even broken a sweat, while Morgan was struggling to keep her posture straight and control her breathing. She had to stay strong for her army, showing any weakness would only hurt morale.

"Don't worry about me, I'll be fine." Morgan said as a side comment before turning to face her army. Gerome looked the most haggard of all the group, having to leave Minerva behind until they found the Immortal Army in order to remain hidden. Inigo and Owain appeared to be fine, although Morgan believed the two were secretly exhausted but didn't want to give up in a competition of manliness. If they really were holding up as well as they were, Morgan didn't know where they had been training. The path here was riddled with stairways and rough terrain, so it made sense that the only ones that wouldn't be affected would be those undergoing Frederick's training. Surprisingly, Severa also appeared to be fine. She seemed to be taking side glances at Hayato for the entire trek, with what Morgan could only guess was fear or caution. Truth be told, Morgan could never tell with her. Brady was leaning on his staff, mumbling about how awful the trek was, while Noire and Nah chatted with each other, although they too were wearing tired faces. Marc had marched the whole way next to Morgan and Alisha, never uttering a word, even when Alisha attempted to chat.

Up ahead, Morgan could make out Kluss waving an arrow above his head. He had volunteered to scout ahead, or rather he was the only one that didn't say no. He didn't speak, after all.

Kluss signaled to the group that the way was safe.

"Come back Kluss!" Morgan yelled. The Justice Cabal was in no shape to resume marching, and the ruins around them seemed to be as nice of a resting spot as any.

"We need to set up a perimeter. Marc and I will take the first watch, we will rotate every twenty minutes. We need to be on the look out for-" Morgan started to speak before being interrupted by the faint sound of a drum.

"What the…." Owain started saying, his personality lost in the moment of confusion. The sound was coming from behind them, rather than the way they were marching.

"Kluss! Toss me that looking glass!" Morgan yelled, a bit of panic in her voice. Kluss rummaged through the pouches attached to his belt before tossing over a brown telescope. Morgan peered through, staring at the horizon where the sound was coming from. A subtle hill rose before them and made it impossible to see beyond. The whole party waited with bated breath.

"Quick, get into the groups we discussed earlier and hide amongst the ruins, Hide your position as best as possible!" Morgan said in a hushed voice. They could still get the element of surprise, and she would take every advantage she could find. The following minutes felt like hours.

The Justice Cabal had taken perimeter on the far west side of the ruins, their eyes watching east at the hill. They had split into groups that Morgan had devised on the ship. Brady and Hayato would take the furthest position from the battlefield. With Brady's newly learned long distance healing, he would be crucial in support, while Hayato would provide covering fire for the front lines as well as help protect the aerial troops. Nah and Noire had teamed up and took the most southern position. Their strategy revolved around Noire riding on top of Nah wherever possible and raining arrows down from above. The would work in a type of Guerilla warfare, making passovers at seemingly random intervals to keep the opponents guessing.

Gerome and Kluss took the northern position. They would be using the tactics they had practiced to wittle away at the front lines. Morgan, Marc, Alisha, Inigo, Severa, and Owain all took the center of the ruins. The plan ultimately looked to push the Immortal Army towards the center of the battlefield to avoid flanking, and then use a battle of attrition to pick off easy targets first. Morgan knew that even with their skill, they could never win a fair fight against an army the size and strength of their opponent's.

The drum got louder and louder as the Immortal Army drew nearer. Morgan gave a quick signal and everybody ducked their heads down to avoid being seen. The horizon finally broke as a man with long blue hair emerged, walking with a sword thrown over his shoulder. His silver armor shone in the sunlight. He continued walking until he got to the bottom of the hill, then held his position. He seemed to scowl as he looked out over the ruins.

"_Come on….just a bit closer…" _Morgan thought to herself. The enemy needed to continue a bit more to fall into their trap. So far, just one man had appeared, likely the scout for the army.

"IMMORTAL ARMY! JOIN ME NOW!" The blue haired man roared. All at once, 50 men, all appearing to have much battle experience, rushed over the hill and formed rank behind the scout.

"_Wait….why would they follow a scout's orders…."_ Morgan wondered. The commander is the one with final say. Why did they appear to respect this man so much?

"Ylisseans! I am Priam, commander of the Immortal Army! I have come to challenge you. Now, where is the grandmaster, the so called miracle worker of legend!?" The scout roared.

_"No…not a scout…..that's the one leader from the reports!" _ Morgan finally realized. It was strange though, no militia would ever send their commander out first, it was too risky. This guy must think he was some sort of immortal. Luckily, Morgan could use all that to her advantage.

"Looks like we won't be surprising anybody this time" Morgan said as she turned to her brother. Reluctantly, she stood from her crouching spot behind the ruins and got a good look at her opponents. The army was massive and intimidating, but they had already heard as much. Against the Risen, any foe might as well be a gang of puppies. They may have warfare experience, but they had never lived through what the Justice Cabal had.

"I'm the tactician of this army, and I accept your challenge!" Morgan yelled back at Priam. The man seemed caught off guard, then frowned as he looked out at the force opposing him.

"I had heard the tactician of legend was a man. Who is it that I face now if not him?" Priam asked. Morgan smirked as she pulled her hood off her head, letting her blue hair fall down her back.

"You face his daughter, Morgan of Ylisse!" Morgan roared back. With that, the Justice Cabal sprung into action. Gerome whistled and leapt into the air, Minerva appearing underneath him as if from thin air. Nah immediately transformed into her dragon form and released great fire at the enemy, with Noire firing arrows from her back. Hayato seemed to create tigers from magic and sent them toward Priam. Morgan cast her own spells, releasing Thoron spells at the front lines, in hoping to thin the lines with the first move. All Morgan saw before the attacks congregated at Priam was the man's frown, followed by a cloud of smoke as all the attacks connected.

"I think we got him!" Alisha said, a smile starting to appear on her face. Morgan, however, remained doubtful.

"That would be too easy…" She muttered.

"DO YOU TAKE ME LIGHTLY!?"

A roar erupted from the smoke, followed by the air seeming to be cut. The smoke split in two as a razor similar to an Elwind spell seemed to cut through. Priam stood as the air cleared, completely unscathed.

"Ylisseans, I will give you advice. If you are holding back at all, you cannot win. Fight me with everything you have, so that this may be a fair test of our skills. Immortal Army, march!" Priam commanded out to his troops. The group, a mix of swordsmen, armored giants, axe men, archers, and mages marched forward. Their strength seemed massive, but Morgan still smiled as her prediction seemed to come true.

"They lack strategy." She said. Alisha looked surprised, but peered over the wall to check what the tactician had said. Sure enough, there was no order to their marching. The mages and archers were spread throughout the lines, as opposed to taking the rearguard. The armored soldiers also weren't forming a wall of a front line. Morgan had gambled on this fact, and it started to seem like it would be paying off.

"At this rate, they will fall straight into the trap" Morgan smirked. She glanced northward, where Gerome and Kluss were using their bait and switch tactics to battle a few swordsmen. Other than a few close swipes near Minerva, no attacks of the Immortal Army seemed to even phase the two, as several units fell before them. Nah and Noire were flying in from the south, the rain of arrows falling upon mages and warriors, pushing them northward towards Morgan's position. Any arrows sent towards Minerva or Nah were immediately shot down by Hayato. The troops from the north side began pushing to the south, the two flanks becoming close to crashing into each other and forming a big target at the center. For Morgan's plan to be complete, all she had to do was give the order and send their best swordsmen to crash the lines. She would use magic to cover them from behind. At this point, the Immortal Army would become divided into three and lose the little order that they had. Just like that it would be checkmate.

"Troops, prepare the spearhead!" Morgan yelled. Marc immediately leapt over the ruined wall in front of them, taking point. Sever And Owain took the second line behind him, with Inigo and Alisha taking the back line. They formed a wedge, then waited for Morgan's word to charge. Morgan herself stepped up onto the wall, giving her a better position to see the whole battlefield. If they timed the charge perfectly, they would break the enemy front at the moment the north and south troops collided. In the chaos, the troops likely wouldn't know how to defend and would get crushed by the Justice Cabal. Once the wedge got through, Marc and Alisha would charge for Priam while everybody else would take on the remaining troops.

At the rate the battle was going, the Immortal Army would be-

"AS I SAID BEFORE, DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE ME" Morgan heard another yell from Priam, before sensing something coming toward her at rapid speed.

"Rexcalibur!" One of the mages to the south yelled.

"MORGAN!" Alisha yelled, reaching out for the tactician's hand. Morgan stared blankly at Alisha, the information not processing in her brain. The world went silent for a moment. Then she heard the rushing of wind in her ear, and the hand that was close to her faded far away as Morgan was lifted into the sky, sent flying far away to the north, her body going limp before collapsing against the side of a hill, a mile from the battlefield.

* * *

**A/N: Hey everybody! So this chapter started to go on a bit longer than I thought it would, and there is still much to write, so I will be extending the story to span 31 chapters instead of just 30. This way, I can keep the pacing I want with this arc and fit in all of the content I want. Sorry it has taken so long for this chapter, the second half of this battle should be out by the end of the week. Review time!**

**Leawright-the scene between Robin and Chrom was basically the two striking a deal so that Chrom wouldn't have to sit in on long council meetings. Also, It is a little fin using Morgan as the tactician in this arc, since I don't have to write her as the infallible tactician. She is inexperienced and is allowed (character-wise) to make mistakes, which lets the story have a touch of uncertainty about everything.**

**Jakezero-the battle certainly has kicked off, though there is still much to come before the dust settles. Who knows how the Justice Cabal will do without the lead of their tactician.**

**Until next time!**

**-Austin**


	29. A Tale of Two Twins

**Last time on TRTL: The battle against the Immortal Army has begun. A surprise attack against Morgan blows her far from the battle, leaving the Ylisseans without a commander. Meanwhile, Robin discovers the Fire Emblem has been stolen.**

* * *

**Chapter 29: A Tale of Two Twins**

"Uuuughh….." Morgan held her right hand against her forehead in an attempt to avail the headache. Her body seemed to be shaking, but she couldn't make any distinguishable feeling at any part of her body. Her hand suddenly felt warmer than it was previously, and when she looked at her palm it was covered in red.

She turned her head to find parts of her coat strewn about the hill she was laying on. With great effort, she forced herself to sit up despite her body's shock. At this point, Morgan noticed a large ringing in her ears. Her eyes winced as feeling started returning to her body.

"Wh-….Where am I?" Morgan asked, looking around at her surroundings. She was laying against the slope of a big hill, with nothing but more hills and horizon from what she could see. Her memory was fuzzy. The last bit she could remember was being in Ylisse and receiving word about some militant group off on another continent. Other than that, everything was a blur.

"I must have gone for a walk outside the castle….but what happened?" She asked aloud. Her body slowly was exiting shock and her senses were returning. Her head had been cut open from something and blood had dried in her hair, mixing red against blue and matting it against the right side of her head. The rest of her body was in pain and seemed to be screaming at her not to move. She felt as if she had a few broken bones, but had no recollection of how this had happened.

She glanced down and noticed that her coat was ripped to shreds all down the arms and back. With a disappointed sigh, she shrugged off the rags of it that remained and tied it to the hilt of the sword she had strapped at her waist. The pockets to the coat must have been destroyed as well, since all her tomes had disappeared.

"I bet father must be worried" Morgan spoke out again, deciding to walk in the direction she had been facing when she came to, a sense of anxiety on her to find out what had happened to her. Though, she was sure nothing serious could be happening, since her surroundings seemed all quiet.

* * *

"MORGAN!" Alisha yelled as she watched her commander fly through the sky after being struck by a rexcalibur spell.

"MORGAN! NOO!" Alisha fell to a knee, a sword glancing off her spear, her heart breaking as she believed her commander dead.

"Not yet ya don't!" Brady yelled from the backline, hurling one of his newly learned long range healing spells at Morgan. The blue glow of the spell enveloped her just before she was out of reach. Seeing this, Brady let out a great sigh and scratched his head.

"Don't ya worry about the cap'n! Focus on attackin' the men in front!" The mage yelled.

"Marc! You need to take charge, otherwise this may be OUR last dance!" Inigo shouted over his shoulder as he defended Alisha, who was busy getting back to her feet.

Marc, feeling relief at knowing Brady reached his sister in time, turned his sword back to the enemies in front of them.

"Justice Cabal! Do not lose heart! We will still come out victorious! Heed my command and we can put an end to this farce of the Immortal Legion! For if we fall here, Ylisse will be in danger! The homeland we have fought to protect for so long will fall if the Legion invades! We have no choice but to win! We must make our stand, not for ourselves, but for our loved ones at home! This battle is off the records, so we will not earn glory or rewards! What we will earn is our legacy, the lives of our family, and the pride of a hero! Now, raise your swords with me, and strike at the heart of our enemies!"

"Aye! You have made the wrong move challenging the heroes of heroes, for I, Owain Dark, will fight under my captain's command and slay all evil in my sight!" Owain yelled as he ran his sword through three more men, Severa working around his sword strokes to cover his blind spots.

"You can count on us! We will support you, Marc!" Hayato called out as he waved a tiger into the air and sent it charging into the enemy's right flank.

"You may have heart, young Ylisseans, but you are not the challenger I seek. Only he can match my strength. You will face defeat. Though I know not what you speak of, I have no desire to conquer Ylisse. Regardless, the Immortal Legion never fails!" Priam roared as he pushed his own troops forward, wave after wave crashing into the Justice Cabal.

Marc blocked an axe strike of a berserker, then slid the blade up to knock the axe out of the man's hand. He used the momentum to spin and put a boot into the man's gut, knocking him to his knees. Marc promptly spun with his sword behind his back, blocking a blow from a general's armored fist, then got low and swept his leg out to knock the man over. He then did a forward flip, his heel striking the armored giant's helmet, knocking him unconscious, then brought his sword down into the shoulder of the berserker.

A spell flew over his shoulder as Hayato struck a few arrows that were aimed at the new commander, while Inigo and Alisha turned into a bloody dance, her spear keeping enemies at bay and his sword running through anybody that Alisha couldn't hit.

To the far north, Kluss and Gerome had changed their tactics. Gerome took to the ground with a sword in each hand and held off troops, pushing them southward. Kluss took to the skies on Minerva's back, helping Noire and Nah to rain arrows down from above. In order to be more effective, Nah used dragon fire to ignite the arrows as they fell upon the Immortal Legion, fires breaking out all over.

Marc looked all over the battlefield, happy to see their discipline and training were paying off.

"Alright everyone! Hold here! Don't give them an inch!"

"Bah! To think children could match my Legion. Very well! You will taste the true power of Ragnell!" Priam yelled, pulling his sword from its sheath and stepping into the thick of the battle.

"COME FACE ME, YOUNG YLISSEANS!"

* * *

"I sure must be far from home, I really hope Father isn't worried" Morgan said as she walked over yet another hillside.

She was wearing a white tank top with some light leather armor covering her arms, chest, stomach and back, while metal armor covered her legs. Her sword remained in its sheath, the remains of her coat tied to the handle. She had been walking for thirty minutes now, and still she had yet to see any sign of the castle. She believed she was heading in the right direction, but nothing seemed familiar.

In her years working as grandmaster, she had seen all over Ylisse, yet could not recall ever being to this specific region. However, since her head still felt fuzzy, she attributed this to memory loss from her head striking the ground. How that came to be, she had still yet to determine.

"Let's run over this again, I remember taking my message in the morning from Chrom, then I met with father to run over tactics again. I had lunch with mother, then the meeting with the war council about a threat over in….whatever that continent was. Then…what happened? Was Ylisse attacked? And what exactly hit me? By the way my clothes are cut up, it was either a high level wind spell or I was thrown by some wyvern or griffin. I still can't remember anything though…" She ran through her closest memories once again. She could recall basic details, but everything seemed so far away, as if it had happened weeks or months ago. Nothing seemed to make sense.

"Ah! You there!" Morgan yelled as she saw a farmer making his way over the crest of the next hill. The man looked startled as he stared at the armored girl in front of him. He was simply wearing some baggy, tan clothes that barely fit, likely made from some potato sacks. He seemed to draw back as he noticed the sword at Morgan's hip.

"What do ya want?" the man spoke with a thick accent that Morgan didn't recognize.

"Ah yes, I'm trying to get back to Ylisstol, can you point me in that direction?" She asked as nicely as she could, though she pronounced some of the words with issue, as her head was still aching and she couldn't think clearly.

The man looked at Morgan with great confusion in his eyes.

"Where's that?" The man finally answered.

Morgan tilted her head, unsure about how to respond. She knew the farmers of Ylisse never had any formal education, but most still knew where the capital was.

"You know, Ylisstol! The capital!" Morgan said, almost to the point of pleading.

"Capital of where?" The man asked again, the confusion in his voice still not waning at all.

"Of here! Ylisse!" Morgan almost shouted, her patience starting to wear thin.

"Ylisse? You're a long way from there, miss. Are ya from tha' army that's been marchin' south?" The man asked. Morgan took the confused state this time.

"Army?"

"Ya, the young folk that have been runnin' around in search of Priam 'n his boys" The farmer replied.

_"Priam?"_ Morgan felt like she had heard that name before. Her head felt like it was on fire, yet her body started moving in the direction the man had pointed when he mentioned the army.

"Thank you sir!" Morgan called over her shoulder as she broke into a sprint.

"Don't go gettin' ya'self killed!" The man called back.

Morgan grinned as she put her efforts towards making it back to the army. Maybe they could explain what was happening. Either way, she found the ways both home and to her answers.

* * *

"Diamond formation! Now!" Marc screamed out. Alisha and Inigo rushed in on his left side, a few yards apart from each other, while Owain and Severa took to his right. Hayato and Brady remained where they were behind Marc, and Kluss, Nah, and Noire continued with their aerial efforts. Marc checked his ranks, then realized one member had yet to be accounted for.

"GEROME!"

Gerome shuffled his feet across the battlefield, every few seconds having to stop and deflect blows from another member of the Legion. He had gotten a deep cut on his left forearm while he was holding his position, so he was down to only one sword, his left arm hanging limply at his side. His blonde hair was a mess, sweat sticking it to his face, blood speckled throughout it. His armor had deflected most lethal blows, but he still had cuts of various severity running down his arms and legs.

"Get out of my way!" He roared, cutting down another myrmidon that had stepped into his path. He could see the rest of the Justice Cabal holding the diamond pattern, missing only him as the rear piece. Marc had broken position and was sprinting towards him, a move that might endanger everybody else.

"Marc! I'm coming, get back in-GAH!" Gerome's breath was swiftly knocked out of him as a punch to his gut sent him rolling across the ground. He held his stomach as he titled his head up, his eyes falling upon the enemy commander standing in front of him, a golden sword sitting on his shoulder.

"You will do best to sit out the rest of this fight, Ylissean. I will not kill you, but I will not hesitate to set you as close to death as I can." Priam said, his voice unwavering.

Gerome struggled to a knee, plunging his sword into the ground to help him stand. Priam's punch seemed to have broken a few ribs, but he couldn't give up on his friends.

"You are nothing compared to what I've seen. I would never give up to the likes of-" Gerome said while standing up, before a blow to his cheek from Priam cut a gash into him and knocked him unconscious.

"NO!" Marc yelled. He finally reached where Gerome and Priam were, his sword flashing across the sky straight at Priam.

"Hmph." Priam grunted as he moved his body slightly to the right, Marc's sword hitting only air and leaving the twin defenseless.

"Be more careful when you move, child"

Priam swiftly brought a knee up into Marc's gut, causing him to spit up blood as his body crumpled to the ground.

"Is this truly the best you can do?" Priam asked in disappointment. He turned around to leave the battlefield, realizing there was no challenge for him here.

"Not yet….You have yet to see what I'm truly capable of….I won't fall here!" Marc said as he stood, his stomach and chest burning but his will unwavering.

"Very well, Ylissean. I will honor you with a fight you will never forget!" Priam yelled as he turned and brought his sword down on Marc with both hands, the twin bringing his sword up to meet the enemy's strike.

"MARC!" The other members of the Justice Cabal yelled. They were occupied with the remainder of the Immortal Legion, as they all had left Priam and Marc to battle and focused on the members still in a diamond shape. Brady was working overtime, casting healing spells on Gerome to heal up all the injuries he had sustained.

Marc jumped backwards to create separation from Priam, both men now holding their blades tight with both hands.

"Don't interfere! This battle is mine and mine alone!" Marc called out. He didn't want his soldiers to lose focus and get cut down on account of him. With that worry free from his mind, he turned his eyes to Priam. The commander seemed like he had not even broke a sweat yet. His long blue hair was tied back by a black bandana and his silver armor glinted in the sun. The long golden sword in his hands, apparently named Ragnell, reached further than any sword Marc had seen. To hold that sword required a vast amount of strength, and Priam seemed to hold it with little effort whatsoever.

Marc charged forward, the tip of his blade dragging along the ground before bringing it in an upward slash against Priam. The grizzled commander blocked it away with Ragnell before lurching another knee out at Marc's off-balance body. Marc anticipated this and pushed off Priam's chest with his left hand, separating the two just enough and sending Priam stumbling back.

As soon as Marc's legs hit the ground he sprung low and swept a leg out at Priam's only remaining one on the ground. Before Marc could land his hit, Priam stuck Ragnell in the ground and lifted himself in the air, Marc stopping his leg just in time to avoid being cut. In Marc's reaction time, Priam swung his body through the air and sent his heel crashing towards Marc's head. The blue haired swordsmen brought both his arms up in an "x" formation, abandoning his sword, to catch Priam's heel on his armored forearms.

Taking the opportunity, Marc pulled down his arms and grasped Priam's lower leg, giving him a hard yank and sending him to the ground, away from Ragnell, still plunged into the ground. Before Marc could pick up his blade, Priam twisted and kicked it hard, the sword skipping across the plain and coming to a rest halfway between them and the rest of the troops.

Marc dove forward, putting a hand on Priam's chest in an effort to grab Ragnell. Priam grasped the boy's leg, pulling him to the ground short of the blade. Marc turned and struck his heel into Priam's forehead, but the commander's grip didn't loosen. Priam rolled to a knee and pulled Marc towards him, then slammed a fist into Marc's right shoulder.

Marc let out a gasp of pain but managed to roll away from Priam's other blows. Marc quickly jumped up to his feet, his left hand grasping his right shoulder while his right arm lay limp at his side. It seemed Priam's blow had knocked his shoulder out of socket, so he likely only would have use of his left arm.

"Let's finish this!" Marc roared as he pulled a dagger from a hidden slit in his shoulder armor, rushing toward Priam.

Meanwhile, the remaining Justice Cabal and Immortal Legion members had quit fighting, realizing that the battle between commanders would be the true deciding battle, so they inched closer to watch the fight each second.

Marc swung his dagger down, though caught resistance as Priam grabbed his wrist, stopping the blade short. Priam twisted Marc's arm around so the boy fell off balance, then dropped his weight so that Marc fell to the ground on his chest while Priam, still holding the boy's left arm, dropped his knee down onto Marc's shoulder blade.

A sickening crack could be heard by everyone, followed by a howl of pain from Marc as his left arm became completely useless. Priam stood up and placed a foot onto Marc's head, pushing him into the dirt.

"This is what happens when you face the Immortal Legion. There are no others who can match my strength, save for possibly the tactician of legend and the Ylissean Exalt. You are finished, just surrender and return back from where you came. No more blood needs to be spilled."

"We won't surrender! If you invade Ylisse, everything we have worked so hard for will crumble! We have to stop you!" Marc yelled, gasps of pain between his words.

"If Ylisse is so weak it will crumble just by us appearing, maybe it deserves to fall. Either way, I am done here." Priam said as he turned on his heel, picking Ragnell from the ground and leaving towards the east where the Immortal Legion first came from.

"Damn it! I'm sorry Father! And Mother! And Morgan! I couldn't do it….I couldn't beat him…." Marc said into the dirt, tears starting to fall from his eyes. The rest of the Immortal Legion began following Priam while the Justice Cabal rushed to Marc's side. Brady immediately began healing Marc's arms, in an effort to limit the permanent damage.

"Fear not! Even heroes must fall sometimes so they can rise from the ashes and strike when their enemy-ow!" Owain began before Severa punched his side, shaking her head to tell him that it wasn't the right time. The Cabal was beaten, and they must lick their wounds and return home as failures.

"I'm sorry guys…if only I was stronger…" Marc said. Alisha got on a knee and placed a hand on his back.

"Don't worry, nobody blames you. None of us could have done any better, commander" She said in a warm tone.

"Hey wait! Kluss!" Inigo cried out when he had noticed the green clad boy was no longer with them and had started walking toward the Legion.

"Priam." Kluss said in a stern voice.

"HE TALKS!?" The remainder of the Justice Cabal cried out all at once.

Priam turned to see who had called him.

"Do you now challenge me, young Ylissean?" He said in an almost bored tone.

"I am no Ylissean. I come from far away, and I will be your opponent." Kluss spoke in short sentences. A bright light emitted from his left hand in the form of three triangles as he pulled the blade off his back and got into a fighting stance.

"Very interesting. Fine, I will fight you. But let this be the last battle" Priam said as he took strides out to meet Kluss in battle.

"No! You can't Kluss! It's suicide!" Alisha yelled, desperate to save her friend.

Kluss squinted his eyes and prepared himself, in his eyes seeing just another enemy drawing closer. He surely couldn't lose, not after all the others he had beaten over his years. He would never get the chance to try, however.

"ELWIND!" A voice cried out from the north, a blade of wind cutting into Priam's side, sending the commander rolling across the ground.

* * *

Morgan rushed her way along the hillsides, now aware of the sound of battle going on not far from her. She had noticed the sounds had died down a few minutes ago, so she was anxious to see what had happened and who was fighting. Her memory had started returning, however she could only remember up to the start of forming the new Shepherd group with Marc. She still couldn't remember where she was or how she got so beat up, though she figured the force they were hunting down had a part in it.

"Ah!" Morgan exclaimed as her foot caught something, sending her crashing to the ground. She turned as she rubbed her tailbone, in pain from the fall, then noticed the item she had tripped on.

"YES! My elwind tome! Now Father can't be mad at me for losing _all_ of his tomes!" She exclaimed gleefully, her chipper personality never worse for wear.

She made her way up the next hill before her eyes fell upon the battle. The armies were far away and she couldn't make out much, all she could see were a large mass of people far away, and two people fighting by themselves slightly closer to her position. She still couldn't make out anybody, so she descended down the hill into another valley, with just one hill separating her from the battle. At this point, she broke into a full sprint, her sword in her right hand and the elwind tome in her left.

She finally reached the top of the last hill, just in time to see a man she didn't recognize bring his knee down on some blue haired swordsman's back. Morgan heard a blood-curdling scream, so loud she took a step back. The man seemed to stand for a while over the swordsman, then turned and walked away. The group furthest from Morgan broke apart and rushed to the two men.

Morgan suddenly recognized the group rushing toward the fallen boy, then everything started clicking in place.

"Oh Naga…..Marc…." She fell to a knee and covered her mouth seeing her brother in a crumpled mess. She froze as the next scene played out, as a boy in green seemed to challenge the man that defeated Marc. Morgan realized she couldn't leave this battle up to anybody but herself.

She brought herself up to both feet, flipped her tome open, and then pointed the sword at the enemy commander. Using the sword as a catalyst, she drew magic into her body and focused on the tip of the blade. She held the sword horizontally, then held it out behind her. In one swift moment, she swung the sword and called upon the spell, a blade of wind coming from her blade and flying through the air.

"ELWIND!" She yelled, the blade of wind cutting the air and connecting with the enemy commander, sending him flying through the air.

"MORGAN!" The Cabal yelled at the sight of the new figure.

Morgan stood at the top of the hill, her clothed ragged and her hair matted with blood, her breathing heavy from the sprint she had taken all the way here.

"I don't know who you are, but nobody messes with my brother!" She yelled out after finally catching her breath.

Priam looked up in bewilderment, confused how he had been blindsided so easily.

"The young tactician returns! Are you the one I shall fight?" Priam called out as he got to his feet, picking Ragnell off the ground in the process.

"I am Morgan, daughter of Robin of Ylisse! I shall teach you what it means to mess with my family!" Morgan yelled as she came sprinting down the hill, another elwind spell charging on her sword, turning the blade a glowing green.

Priam rushed forward to meet her, Ragnell held on his shoulder as he ran. When Morgan was a yard away, she swung her sword and released her magic.

"ELWIND!" she yelled, another blade of magic cutting through the air. Priam brought Ragnell down in front of him to block the attack, but the magic went right past and struck him again. He managed to keep on his feet as he slid back a few feet.

A shallow gash open up diagonally on his chest, starting at his right shoulder and ending below the left side of his ribcage. His silver breast plate, now split in half, slid off his body.

"Your tricks can only work so many times!" Priam yelled as he rushed forward again. Morgan already had another spell ready and swung her sword forward, the blade of wind forming. This time, Priam bent his body like he was avoiding Morgan's sword, the elwind spell passing right over his head.

He took the opportunity to bull rush Morgan, swinging Ragnell down at her in an overhead swing. Morgan stepped back quickly, bringing her sword up to meet Priam's. While she moved in time, Priam's strength knocked her blade straight down to the ground. When she tried to move her blade for another strike, she found the tip had buried deep into the dirt and she couldn't pull it free.

Priam swung the sword at Morgan's wrists, but she abandoned the sword and staggered backwards, narrowly avoiding Priam's attack. Morgan began backpedaling, drawing magic into her fingers as Priam rushed towards her.

"You can't win here! Elwind!" Morgan cast the spell, this time releasing it as a burst of air as opposed to a blade. Priam planted Ragnell into the ground to avoid being pushed back this time, pulling it back up when the spell passed by.

"I am the strongest fighter in this world! But I must admit, you are a worthy opponent!" Priam yelled as he charged. He swung Ragnell horizontally, but Morgan fell to her knees to avoid the blow. She then moved back into a crouch and lurched forward, throwing Priam off balance and tumbling back. She immediately cast the wind magic she had collected and directed it at Priam's upper body. Without time to react at such close range, Priam was sent towering completely over.

"Cheap magic won't win!" He spit out as he fell back.

"I'm afraid that is checkmate!" Morgan retorted, a smile on her face.

Priam turned just in time to see the approaching sword hilt before it crashed into his head. Morgan had used the magic to push him back into the hilt of the sword that had gotten stuck in the ground, Priam's body immediately going limp as he fell to the ground, unconscious.

A moment passed before the Justice Cabal rushed forward, cheering for Morgan.

The tactician brushed a strand of hair before giggling and collapsing to the ground, her body finally catching up and feeling the pain from her various wounds. Marc and Gerome came hobbling over, their wounds having been healed by Brady.

"Morgan, ya did it! But you are a darn mess!" Brady exclaimed, scratching his head before pulling his healing staff around and putting it on Morgan's head, a blue healing light surrounding her.

"A true hero strikes when the night is darkest to bring the light of justice!" Owain exclaimed, enamored by Morgan's heroic actions.

"Hmph…not as good as I'd have done….but you did a good job" Severa said as she crossed her arms and looked away.

"Morgan, I'm so glad you are ok!" Nah exclaimed, wrapping her arms around Morgan's chest.

The rest of the Justice Cabal exclaimed their surprise at Morgan's return and her heroics, with Marc giving his sister a big hug.

The Immortal Legion stood anxious around their unconscious leader, like the Justice Cabal were around their victorious leader. Around thirty minutes passed before Priam finally came to, the Immortal Legion surrounding him in dead silence. Morgan and the Cabal approached the fallen leader, ready to see what would happen now.

"I see….I was defeated…" Priam said, looking up at Morgan. He looked down at Ragnell, laying on the ground next to him. He slowly rolled to his feet, dusting himself off. He turned and faced his Legion before clearing his throat.

"I have found somebody worth following. As of now, the Immortal Legion will need a new commander. You may figure it out yourselves. Remember our principles, and remember not to invade Ylisse. These young warriors have fought to keep it safe, so do not besmirch their efforts. I take my leave." Priam said before turning and walking towards Morgan. The Legion remained quiet, likely not knowing what to do with what they had heard.

"Young tactician….no…Morgan" Priam said, his face as stern as ever.

"Yes?" Morgan asked, confused at the events that just transpired.

"I have been searching for one stronger than I am, so that I could find purpose in this world. I believe you are who I have searched for. Allow me to join your ranks, and I will fight hard for Ylisse."

A long pause followed as Morgan, stunned, thought over his words. She took a glance at her friends, but nobody showed any sign of disapproval. With a big grin, Morgan turned back to Priam.

"Sure!"

* * *

On the boat ride back to Ylisse, the Justice Cabal, now with the addition of Priam, had celebrated for three nights in a row. Morgan used the rest of the coin she got from Chrom, after buying supplies for the ride home, to purchase enough food for a few feasts, wine and ale to keep the Cabal happy. Morgan sat at the bow of the ship, her legs straddling the very front pole, her legs dangling over the ship. She held a cup of wine in both hands, her head leaning against the pole as she gazed out at the horizon.

"So, what now?" She asked aloud.

Alisha took a step back, surprised that Morgan had noticed her.

"Well, I imagine I'll stick around with Marc and the others until we find our way home. When the opportunity comes, we will have to get back" She said as she walked next to Morgan and leaned against the railing, a mug of ale in her hands. The sounds of celebration could be heard from the hull of the ship.

"I see. It will be a shame to see you go…I wish you could stay around with us a while" Morgan said before taking a long sip of wine.

"Yes, well, we all have our families and friends to get back to…though I certainly enjoyed my time here. By the way, how is the memory coming?" Alisha asked, recalling all the memories she had made.

"They have mostly come back now, I don't think my flight caused any permanent damage" Morgan replied.

The two sat in silence for a while before Morgan let out a giggle.

"To think, the man we came to stop joined our ranks. And him and Owain seem to get along just great" Morgan said as she smiled into her cup.

Alisha let out a soft laugh as well, thinking of the picture of Owain trying to recant Priam's tales in the way he always does.

"More like Owain gets along with Priam, and Priam just doesn't know how to respond" Alisha remarked. The two girls laughed together before falling back into a comfortable silence.

After a while, Morgan pointed out at the horizon, as if to grab it.

"If you are going to leave us after a while, then let's grasp the future we have and make the most of it" She said, a mixture of hope and sadness in her voice.

Alisha looked at her friend for a second, before turning and reaching out to the horizon as well.

"Right, we will take it on together. Now what do you say we get back to the festivities? I hear a drunk Inigo has convinced Owain to be his new dance partner."

Morgan let out a snort before slowly getting to her feet.

"Now that, I have to see"

The two girls giggled as they made their way back to the large hall in the ship, ready to celebrate their victory for just a few more nights.

* * *

"Are you sure it was stolen?" Chrom asked as he and Robin rushed down the dark corridor leading to the room last containing the Fire Emblem.

"Yes, I chased the intruder and last I checked, it was gone" Robin answered for about the fifth time. Chrom still couldn't believe the whole story. It had taken fifteen minutes for the Exalt to make his way back to Robin, the tactician anxiously pacing, thinking of all the different strategies they might need in the near future.

"I recommend we prepare the barracks, we might even need to call in all the Shepherds. And we need to call back Morgan, we will need all the help we can get. Although Grima can't be resurrected, there is no telling what else the Fire Emblem can do. When I checked all the hidden compartments, the jewels had disappeared as well. It is likely we had spies in the castle, that is the only explanation." Robin talked quickly, his mind running as fast as it did when the Fire Emblem was first stolen by Validar.

"Right. I'll get a message sent to all known locations holding Shepherds. I'll also tell Frederick to empty the barracks of all men capable of fighting. The thief most likely went to Plegia, so we will prepare here and wait for our agents to send us word of activity. Once we are sure of the location, we will march and take back the Emblem." Chrom was quick in his thinking, being in full Exalt mode once again. When he wanted to be, he actually was a very good leader and commander, no doubt one of the reasons the Shepherds constantly beat all odds.

They finally reached the door leading to the Emblem's previous chamber, a guard opening it for them. Chrom stepped in first, Robin hanging outside still thinking.

"Uh, Robin?" Chrom asked aloud. Robin broke his train of thought and entered the room behind the Exalt.

"What is it Chrom?" He asked.

All Chrom did was point toward the center of the room.

Robin followed the line of sight to find the Fire Emblem, all jewels in place, sitting on the pedestal where it originally was. Robin's mind went blank.

"Guard, did anybody come through here?" Chrom turned and asked.

"Nobody but the Grandmaster, sir." The guard replied.

Robin looked dumbstruck.

"Chrom, I have not entered this room since when I first found it. It must be that imposter again…but how did he return it so fast?" Robin asked aloud. He replayed the last few moments of their encounter in his mind.

_"Enjoy the present and future you currently hold. The past will not be so pleasant."_

Robin took a few paces out of the room, before his mind simply stopped.

"Seriously, what the hell is going on!?" He yelled.

* * *

**A/N: And there we have it! The curtain has begun to close, the last battle has ended, now we enter the endgame. There are only two chapters remaining, one being a standard ending, and the other being the true ending. I will also post a short epilogue after (and I mean short, like a few sentences) where I will answer the reviews that come in on the last chapter. Thank you everyone who has reviewed and supported me along the way, thank you for getting me to over ****_200 followers_****, and thank you for being on this journey with me. Review answering time!**

**Leawright-Well, knowing Awakening, time travel always plays some part. Guess the answer will come…****_in time_****!**

**Renteriajose16- The answer has yet to be written, who knows who it could be**

**Jakezero- I don't know who you may believe stole the Emblem, but it seems they didn't have much use for it….maybe…. and I believe you were right about things getting nasty.**

**Thank you again for everyone's continued support! Here is to the last stretch!**

**-Austin**


	30. A Happy Ending

**Important A/N: We have entered the endgame. For those who have forgotten, there are two endings. This chapter will give some closure, and can be considered one ending, while next chapter will build off it to lead into the sequel. Cheers, and happy reading.**

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**Chapter 30: A Happy Ending**

"Papa, what were the Pleeyan wars?" Marth asked.

The boy had grown to the age of five now. His hair had grown long, enough so that he had a habit of brushing it to the side to rest upon his brow while he played with Megan. He now sat upon his father's knee, and recalled something he had heard while in the market with his parents the other day. His father had stopped by a stall to pick up some various healing potions, and had started to talk to a lady wearing a large black cap, glasses, and had short red hair. The two seemed to know each other, and talked of past events, one of which being a certain series of wars.

Robin looked up at the clear sky. He was outside watching Marth and Megan play while their mother went into town for groceries, though she had returned a few minutes ago and was busy unpacking her purchases in the house. Two years had passed since Morgan set out on her campaign in Valm. She had returned victorious, in her first real battle as a grandmaster. Robin quickly passed the title of the commander of Ylisse's forces back to his daughter, then returned back to his home in the countryside. The mystery of the Fire Emblem's disappearance remained unsolved to this day, though he and Chrom had verified two things; the Fire Emblem and all its jewels were the real things, and the Fire Emblem had been used before it was returned.

They had called Tiki to look over the relic, and were shocked to find out those two truths. Robin then took the stranger's message to heart, and set out to enjoy all the time he could in the present.

"PAPA!" Marth suddenly yelled. Robin shook himself from his thoughts, realizing he had ignored his son's question.

"Yea Daddy! Tell us about the wars!" Megan added, sitting at her father's ankles on the long summer grass.

Robin smiled at his two children, the very embodiment of hope to him. They were so much like their future selves, it scared him. Megan was far cleverer than a kid should ever be, and was always full of energy. Her brother was shy and didn't speak much, but had a knack for exploring and protecting his loved ones.

Robin cleared his throat and used his right hand to stoke the white stubble growing on his face.

"Ah, yes. Where to begin with the wars. I had just joined your grandfather's army when I was thrown into my first one. These wars had been going on for a while, because Ylisse and Plegia did not like each other. Your great grandfather really didn't like Plegia, and so he did mean things to them, and thus our relationship with them was strained."

"Whaaaat!? We were meanie heads!?" Megan cried out, unable to believe that her great grandfather had done such things, even though she had never met him, or for that matter heard of him prior to this story.

"Haha yes, we were meanie heads. Anyways, time passed and the role of leadership was passed to the Exalt's oldest daughter, your grand-aunt Emmeryn. She wanted to bring peace to both Plegia and Ylisse, but Plegia was now ruled by a mean old man named Gangrel. Gangrel was alive when your great grandfather was being mean and wanted to be mean back. So he started sending soldiers into Ylisse. Of course, your grandfather Chrom wasn't too happy about this, but Emmeryn refused to attack. She had a kind soul, and I never did appreciate it until much later…." Robin trailed off his story, memories of times when he was younger coming back to him.

"Daddy, why haven't we met aunt Emm….Emm…" Marth struggled with the name for a bit, before Robin stepped in.

"You can just call her Aunt Emm. That's what your grandfather and aunt Lissa call her, anyways. To answer why you haven't met her, let me get back to the story. Gangrel decided that since your aunt Emm wouldn't fight back, he needed to be super mean to her. So he came to Ylisstol and kidnapped Emmeryn. Chrom and I took the Shepherds and followed them. It was there that…..your aunt Emm got hurt real bad. That's why you haven't gotten to meet her." Robin once again grew quiet, the all too horrid scene replaying in his mind.

"Is she still hurt?" Megan asked, with nothing but innocent curiosity.

Robin covered his face with his hands, fighting back the bad memories. Memories of when he had failed Chrom. Memories of when he had let his dark side take over during a lapse of judgement.

"Yes, unfortunately Emmeryn was never able to get better. She passed away from this world, to what could only be a better place" Lucina said as she walked out of the house and wrapped her arms around her husband, comforting him.

"I'll pick up where your father left off. While I didn't get to see everything that happened next, your father made sure that Gangrel never hurt anybody again, which brought an end to the Plegian wars for a time. The next war picked up three years later. A man named Validar took over as the new king of Plegia and seemed to help Ylisse in the beginning. However, he soon showed that he also wanted to hurt Ylisse, as well as your father and grandfather. He was able to bring a dragon into the world, a dragon which I knew too well that would hurt everybody. Your father was able to stop that dragon, and Plegia and Ylisse stopped fighting. And that is where the last of the Plegian wars ended. I can only hope you two will not have to see another" Lucina said with a warm smile.

She and Robin had decided to wait to tell the twins about their relation to Validar, at least until they had grown old enough to start understanding what the war really meant.

"Wow mommy and daddy were heroes!" Marth yelled, thrusting his fist into the air. Robin let a small smile show, then let out a big sigh as old memories stirred within him.

It had been many years since the wars, but they felt like a whole different lifetime. Granted, in Robin's case, they somewhat were. He couldn't help but laugh to himself, thinking about how much change he had gone through. From being found by Chrom, to being named the tactician of the Shepherds, fighting in three wars in two different continents and many different countries, finding love, dying, and returning to the world.

He certainly didn't have the most ordinary life; however, he wouldn't have made any different decisions if he had to relive it all. He also took great solace in knowing his days of leading wars was over. He had likely cut off many years from his full lifespan with the amount of work he put into ensuring each person got to go home after each battle, and still was unable to forget those that were lost during the wars. Unfortunately, Robin still blamed himself for all of those deaths, though Lucina and Chrom constantly assured him that he could have done nothing, and that his old friends wouldn't want him to bring himself down.

Robin's daze was broken when he heard Lucina let out a small dry cough, bringing his attention back to the real world.

"Are you alright?" He asked, concern evident in his voice. Lucina was never one to get sick, so any signs of illness were quite out of place. Lucina smiled and shook her head in response, giving him a wordless assurance. The former tactician nodded absent-mindedly, then ran his right hand through his white hair, a habit he often had when his mind went into overdrive. He picked up Marth and set him on the ground to go play with Megan, then went into the house and up the stairs to his bedroom. Lucina stayed outside, watching the children, rolling her eyes at her husband's concern over a single small cough.

That attention to each small thing was one of the things she loved about him, of course. He always was looking for every little thing in each of his friends. Even during war, he would scrap entire strategies and come up with altered ones on the spot if anybody showed signs of illness, emotional distress, or just having an off day, as he knew that any of these factors could endanger lives.

Robin pulled open a drawer in the wooden nightstand that sat next to his bed, the place where he kept all of his old texts and journals from his time with the Shepherds. Lucina had held onto them after he disappeared, and pleasantly surprised him with them a few months after he had returned. He dug through the drawer until he came across a dusty old journal that had a red leather binding, and quickly started flipping through it. When he came across what he wanted, he grabbed a stave out of the same drawer and rushed downstairs.

He emerged out of the house to find Lucina sitting in his previous spot, her long blue hair fluttering slightly with the breeze. He smiled warmly, then proceeded to walk over behind her, placing his left hand on her shoulder, the journal and stave in both clasped in his right hand.

"Even if its nothing, I have grown weary of this world full of danger. Thus, I always am prepared, just in case I need to….tip the scales" He said with a sly grin.

Lucina rolled her eyes at first, then leaned her head as to nestle Robin's hand between her cheek and shoulder. Their life was full of small moments like this, with her husband making small jokes about their time as soldiers, as if he was trying to make light of it so that his heart could finally let all the burdens it held go. No matter how much she tried to fill Robin's life with her love and companionship, and no matter how much Robin tried to hide it, she could tell there was still a piece of him held back by doubts and regrets.

Doubts about his ties to Grima. Doubts about if his past actions truly were best. She knew that, if Robin had to do everything over again, he would most likely choose a path that saved everybody's lives; friend or foe. But this was a dream. War was never so kind as to give this option freely. Normally, when this path was chosen, a much larger loss would be had than what could be avoided. This was the truth Lucina had learned herself in the dark future. She had nearly lost her friends by being too trusting towards people that deserved no kindness. People that would take advantage of those with big hearts to survive when times were tough. Those times were what caused Lucina to take up so much caution and close herself off to others. And yet, the man whose hand she was snuggling up against had broken all those walls down. He had shown trust in people, though it was always with caution. He displayed affection towards others, though everything was calculated.

This may make it seem like her husband was a cunning and sly man, but it was quite the opposite. His caution was bore out of self-doubt. Where Lucina learned not to trust others through being on the receiving end of deceit, Robin learned to use caution because he didn't know who he truly was. A common quote given by people whose hearts were torn apart in the past is to trust nobody but your own self. But who do you trust when you can't even trust yourself? Robin had chosen to put that faith in others, though it wasn't blind faith. He simply developed an ability to read the hearts and intentions of others. This man, who had the world stacked against him, who had to fight against fate and time, was able to open his heart to others. Lucina thought back on her earlier notions of war never being kind.

In truth, if anybody were to find a way to win a war with no deaths, it could only be Robin.

"….Are you alright, dear?" Robin's voice suddenly cut through Lucina's mind. Her attention quickly came back to reality, where she realized she still had Robin's hand trapped under her cheek, and she had been staring at the sky with eyes full of sorrow. She quickly regained her composure and released Robin's hand back to him.

"Yes, yes, I'm fine. What is that journal for?" She asked, changing the subject with a smile.

Robin stared at her a few seconds before opening his journal to the page he found earlier.

"In here is a spell I learned in Valm that helps to heal any common illness in seconds. I know you said it is just a cough, but I am a tactician, and I can't have my best soldiers showing weakness. After all, who would watch Marth and Megan during my afternoon nap if you got sick" Robin said, flashing a toothy smile at the end of his sentence. Lucina leaned back in her chair, letting out a big sigh.

"Oh, alright. If it will make you feel better, I'll allow the world's greatest mage to cure me of my woes" She said with a hint of dramatic flair. Robin picked up on it immediately.

"Well my dearest, I shall treat you with the finest care available to man, god, or manakete." He said as he ran his fingers over the diagrams in the journal, then channeled magic into his stave.

He tapped the top of the stave onto Lucina's head, and the magic immediately enveloped her in a soft blue light. She felt any fatigue she had lift away, and felt a sensation similar to when one leaves a hot bath after soaking for several hours. Her eyes started to droop as she leaned her head back against the chair. She suddenly felt a rush as Robin picked her up from her seat, then replaced her spot in the chair with himself and set her down in his lap. She curled up so that her legs hung off the side of the chair, and her head laid against his chest, just at the right spot to hear his heartbeat. It did not take long for her to drift to sleep.

Robin stared out at the fields on front of their home, where Marth and Megan were currently playing, thinking over the life they had built for themselves. He looked down with a wry grin at his wife, who had started to snore lightly, in the cute manner that she did.

_"Hey, I said I got to nap today" _Robin thought wistfully to himself.

With a sigh, his eyes turned towards the sky. A peaceful life is what his labors had brought him. One without much hardships, if he truly thought about it, at least now that the wars were over. He knew that if had to repeat things a million times, he would always choose the path that would bring him to this moment. Even if the world was stacked against him, he would fight to earn this happy ending that he had.

Many people would say the world is cruel. That it would tear you apart the moment you let any comfort show. That happiness was only ever a fleeting moment. And to even get a chance at that moment, the hardships you had to endure never made it worth it. These things he had heard during his time in the military. And at times, he had believed them. There were days where he wore a fake smile in order to keep morale up, and promised others that things would always work out. But he had a lot of doubts back then. He wondered if those happy moments would ever come. He wondered why the world was so cruel as to take away the Exalt when the war seemed to have finished. Why the threat of Valm tore away the peace he enjoyed with Chrom. Why he had to be the one that bore Grima's mark. Why the world had to be so cruel to those as pure-hearted as his wife.

Based on this, truly, this world was cruel and rotten to its core.

And yet….

Robin looked around, at his two kids playing in front of him, and his wife that he loved with all his heart laying against him. He thought of all the friends he had made, and the smiles and laughter they shared. And as he looked up into the endless blue sky, only one thought came to him.

"This world is actually….a wonderful place…"

* * *

**A/N: This finished the "happy ending" route to Return to Life. Let's answer some reviews before getting into some final thoughts.**

**Leawright- The whole issue with the fire emblem won't get resolved until pretty late in the sequel. I had to lay at least some groundwork. As to if Robin would make a better leader, well…..****_maybe we will have to find out about that._**

**Jakezero-As stated above, that mystery will not get solved for some time, though some clues will arise soon enough.**

**Cloudy Luminosity-Thank you very much, that truly means a lot. I'm not sure how I handled consistency with the rest of the story, since this has taken a bit of time to write and often I forget what I was writing about between chapters, but I hope I continue to make the story enjoyable for you until the end.**

**Elasmotherium-I understand, it does get a bit hard to keep track of sometimes. As for Beginning of Life, I have not abandoned it, I just have been busy and more focused on finishing Return to Life because we are at the end. Of the stories I have, Beginning of Life is the least likely to get abandoned. Thank you for your continued support.**

**To those readers who would like to stop here, I thank you so much for enduring this journey with me. For those who want the true ending, I will hopefully have it soon. Though it is going to be a pretty long chapter. I'm thinking upwards of 10K words, but we will see where it takes me when I start. All I have is an outline, and how I want to start transitioning to the sequel. To those I will see next time, ****_bring tissues_****.**

**Thank you so much for the support.**

**Until next time,**

**Austin**


	31. The End of A Journey

**"What appears to be the end, may really be a new beginning" -Anonymous**

**Welcome to the Final chapter of TRTL. Thank you for accompanying me on this journey.**

_**I told you to bring tissues, remember?**_

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**Chapter 31: The End of a Journey**

The sound of a severe coughing fit reverberated through the Yllisean castle. In a large bed on the third floor, a blue haired princess laid still. Her skin was as pale as snow, and her eyes had dark circles surrounding them. Her breathing was labored. At either side of her, two young twins lay with her, both with blue hair and tears in their eyes. Out in the hallway, she could hear hushed whispers.

"Fuck….Fuck! Chrom! How did it ever get this bad!?" Robin was speaking in a pleading voice. His eyes were red and puffy from crying over the past few days. Lucina's minor cough had turned heavy in a matter of a few short days. Before they knew it, she was coughing up thick black smoke, as if somebody had set fire to her lungs. Robin had packed up her, Marth and Megan as fast as he could and rushed her to the Ylisstol Palace, sending express notice to Lissa for urgent care. When they arrived, Lucina was taken to her childhood bedroom, where she had been bedridden for a week.

"Just two weeks ago, she was perfectly healthy! And now…..and now Lissa is telling me to prepare for the worst…" The last part of Robin's sentence was nearly inaudible as he pressed his back against the stone wall and let himself slide to a seating position, his head propped back against the wall. Chrom was standing beside him, his bangs covering his eyes so that nobody could see the tears.

"I know Robin….I ask myself the same thing. We have asked the best doctors, and nobody seems to know what it is. Even Tharja came in to examine it, and couldn't crack the code. She only confirmed that it was some sort of dark arts, but says she has never seen the spell before. Even as we speak, her and Miriel are examining that smoke she keeps coughing up." Chrom's voice seemed stoic, but it was as devoid of emotion as the day Emm had died.

"Damn it! There has to be something! Can't Tiki or Naga do something!" Robin yelled.

"You think I haven't tried! That is my daughter in there, Robin. You aren't the only one trying everything. We dispatched letters to Tiki, but the only note we got back said Naga could do nothing about it. Nothing else" Chrom's voice betrayed him and allowed his emotion to break through. His sorrow and pain were evident.

Robin sunk his head into both hands.

"Damn it! Damn it damn it damn it!" Robin was on the verge of tears again. He could only blame himself. He should have brought Lucina here earlier. He knew he should have taken it seriously, but he let her words sway him. And now….

The door to Lucina's room swung open as Lissa looked out at Robin and Chrom with a panicked face.

"I think….you two should come in here now…" Her voice was dull, as if something were gripping her tightly about the waist as she spoke. Robin quickly stood and rushed in behind Chrom. On the bed, Lucina had grown even more pale. She had pulled in the twins to a hug with both arms, and the two of them seemed to have fallen asleep, likely exhausted from all their grief. Robin walked to Lucina's right side, and pulled up a wooden stool to sit beside her. He took her right hand in both of his and stroked it gently. Lucina's eyes were half open, and she seemed as if it took all her energy just to remain conscious.

"Hey dear, how are you feeling?" Robin asked, doing his best not to let his fear and sorrow betray his voice. He didn't want Lucina to know what he was thinking. If nothing else, he would keep hope alive, so that she could hang onto it and live.

"Not…great" She answered. Her voice was harsh from her coughing fits, and she seemed to be quite parched, so it took great difficulty to speak. Robin grabbed a glass of water from her bedside table, and slowly started bringing it to her lips.

But her left hand came up and stopped the glass before it could reach her.

"What..?" Robin said, stunned at his wife stopping him. But then he saw it. The look in her eyes.

Robin quickly turned to look towards Lissa, wanting some indication at Lucina's condition. Looking, hoping, for a sign that his thoughts were in error. Lissa offered him no such comfort.

The mage, clad in all white today, averted her gaze from Robin's. Tears began flooding her face, and she collapsed into Chrom's arms. Sumia soon came to the room as well, obviously having been summoned by a messenger boy that Lissa had sent. The brunette was a complete mess, her face stained from crying. She quickly crossed the room to stand on Lucina's left, stroking her daughter's hair. Morgan too was not far behind, along with her brother, rushing in to stand next to her father, though she was uncharacteristically unable to make a sound with her voice.

Robin instantly knew what was happening. Lucina's eyes told all he needed to know. He had seen it a thousand times before, both from enemies and comrades. Lucina's eyes had lost the fire they once had, and with it, her will to fight for her life.

Robin held onto Lucina's hand and brought it up to his cheek, so that she may feel her husband's face.

"Dear…..listen…everything is going to be fine" Robin's voice squeaked at the end, betraying the confidence he was attempting to show.

"My love…..it is…ok…" Lucina said, with strenuous breaths between each phrase. Robin felt tears welling up in the corners of his eyes, but chose to ignore them. Everybody else in the room was sobbing at this point as well.

"Lucina, just hang on with me. We…we are going to keep raising Marth and Megan to grow happy together….and then when they get old enough….we can tell them about Marc and Morgan. Then we can have a big happy family, and grow old together in the comfort of our house. Can't you picture it?" Robin's voice was hoarse, though Lucina gave him a soft, weak smile.

"Yes, my dear…..I can….see it.." She said. Lucina's eyes started to droop, and Robin's heart fell with them.

"W-Wait! Why don't you tell me a story! Anything! Or, if you don't want to speak, I can tell you, you just need to listen! Please, Lucina, stay here with me! I'll do all the work, I promise, you can just sit back and relax, and enjoy a life of peace! Doesn't that sound wonderful?" Robin had turned to pleading now. Anything to keep his wife in this world.

"Dear…" Lucina started saying. Robin quickly moved close to her. Her face started to look so peaceful.

"I'm…tired….I think…I'll rest…now" Lucina said before her eyes finally closed.

"No! Not yet, Lucina, I told you, I'll tell you a story! Please, listen!" Robin's voice was becoming high pitched, as his tears welled up, and his throat tightened.

"Ah, remember when we found Morgan? I swear, I thought Chrom would murder me that day, but we got through it, just like everything else. As long as we have each other, we can get through anything, isn't that right?" Robin pleaded. But Lucina gave him no response, she stayed looking peaceful in rest.

"L-L-Lucina?" Robin asked. His voice growing devoid. All the people around him seemed to fade away, until his vision only saw him and Lucina. She gave no response.

"Hey? Lucina?" He asked again. His grip loosened, and his wife's hand fell lifelessly to the side of the mattress. Robin made no sound, his jaw remaining unhinged, as he refused to accept reality. He picked up her hand again, and then released it, only to watch it fall to the bedside once again. Though his gut screamed at him not to do so, he put two fingers down on her wrist, and waited. And waited. And waited. But no pulse came. Finally, the tears that had been welling up released, as Robin let out a blood curdling scream.

"LUCINAAAA!"

* * *

Robin was devoid of all feelings, save for the empty pit in his stomach. He had been this way for five years now. After Lucina's death, he had asked Sumia and Chrom to watch over Marth and Megan, then took only a picture of Lucina and moved out to a small shack in the Plegian wasteland. In the end, no matter how strong he thought he was, Robin ran from his pain.

He turned his back on everything and everyone, and fled from his failures. Maybe….just maybe, the pain would start to disappear if he didn't have to face everyone. In his state, he never even could face anybody. He had long stopped shaving, so his hair had grown long, and a white beard covered his face and stretched to the bottom of his neck. Alcohol bottles of all kinds littered the sand flooring of the shack. On most days, Robin would drink himself into stupor, then lay in a corner, doing his best not to think of her. He had long ago laid her picture face down. He couldn't let himself see her, not in the state he was in.

On particularly bad nights, he would step out of the shed, and swear he could see a figure covered in black robe watching him from the horizon. But, this was likely mirages from his drunken state.

He cut all ties with his friends, and told nobody where he was going. He felt terrible for leaving all of his children behind, but he felt that he would only hold them back in his state. It was all Robin could do not to just cast a dark spell on himself to end the pain. The only thing that would keep him going was the thought that he had to live for Lucina. Someday, he may get better, and if he did, he would start to live as his wife would want him to.

At this moment, however, his stomach still felt as empty as the day she died. He had begged Naga to offer him some salvation, to give him a chance to change things, but nothing ever came. This was in the first year. Ever since, he relied on nobody.

On one night of only light drinking, Robin stepped out of his shed to use the restroom. There, on the horizon, the figure clad in black seemed to be walking towards him. Robin kept a sword strapped at his hip, but at this point, he figured that he may just welcome death if it knocked at his doorstep.

As the figure approached, Robin started to recognize the purple markings on the dark cloak, mimicking the one he was currently wearing.

_"Grimleal…" _Robin thought dryly. Suddenly, a headache like the ones he felt when Grima was nearby fell upon him. He clutched at his temples, the pain too intense to even see clearly. By the time the headache subsided, the grimleal was standing thirty feet from Robin.

"Can I help you?" Robin asked, his voice holding no emotion. The figure stared at him in silence for a while, then removed its hood.

Robin took a step back in shock, his senses immediately returning to him, after having taken a five year hiatus.

"Y-You! You are the one that took the Fire Emblem!" Robin yelled, his voice hoarse from not getting much use. Across the way from him, a perfect copy of himself stood, although this figure was clean cut, and had no facial hair.

"How long did you plan on sulking out here?" the copy asked.

Robin grew angry, the first emotion other than sorrow he had felt on a long time.

"I bet you had something to do with this, didn't you!" Robin accused the man. Finally, somebody had come along that Robin could pass this torch of grief to. It wasn't outside the realm of possibility for the Fire Emblem to be used to cast a curse of such strength as the one cast upon Lucina.

"I must say I had no part of your wife's death. For the past five years, I have been but a spectator, making sure you did not do anything stupid in your drunken nights." The copy said, his voice seeming to have a hint of disgust.

"Just who in the hell are you!?" Robin roared. The clone debated with himself for a second, then gave a shrug of resignation.

"I suppose I do owe you some bit of explanation" The copy said as his white hair fluttered in the wind. His face seemed to contort in thought, as if he was having great difficulty choosing his words. Finally, he turned his back to Robin, speaking in the same way he did the night the Fire Emblem was stolen.

"I come here to offer you a new chance. A chance to escape the pain you are currently feeling. You are the key to many different destinies, yet this whole time you have been attempting to open the wrong lock."

Robin squeezed his head as another headache hit him.

"T-the wrong lock? What does that even mean!?" Robin yelled. The copy kept his back turned, the outside breeze causing his coattails to sway in the moonlight.

"You wish to save her, do you not?" The copy asked. His voice seemed to hold great despair, mimicking Robin's own feelings. Robin clutched at his heart, feeling the sensation of emptiness once again as Lucina's face appeared in his mind.

"She….she is long gone from this world! How dare you speak of some dark arts as to bring her back!" Robin yelled back. He was fighting everything and everyone at this point. The world had long bared its fangs to him, and he had learned that such deals as was being proposed to him never were as simple as spoken. Surely, this man was going to trick Robin into summoning some demon or other sort.

The man sighed, showing a rare break in composure.

"You yourself came back to this world once, didn't you? Why couldn't she?" the man asked. Robin took a step back, anger slowly building within him.

"I came back because my life was attached to a demon. When my life was all but forfeit, the demon's life disappeared instead, and I returned to this world, though in truth it seems Grima never fully vanished until some years past. Lucina does not share that same fate, and I would not wish that fate on her! It is a curse that nobody should bear!" Robin yelled, his hand starting to reach for his sword. The copy turned his head slightly, so that Robin could just see the man's left eye. It was glowing red, the same as Grima's.

"What if I told you that my methods of saving were….different from what you speak of?"

Robin was caught offguard, and allowed his heart to be swayed slightly.

"Different…..how so?" He asked, caution still evident in his voice.

"As I said, I come to offer you a new chance. You see, you do not truly belong to this world. You never did." The man said. Robin bared his teeth angrily.

"What the hell are you talking about!? Don't fuck with me!" Robin yelled, pulling the sword, and rushing at his copy. The man stood still, only moving his left hand in lazy fashion. Robin swung with all his might, but the sword abruptly stopped as the copy caught the blade with his thumb and forefinger. Robin felt panic seize him, and brought his eyes up from the man's hand to his eyes, which glowed a crimson red in the dark.

"Wh-who are you?" Robin asked shakily. He let go of the blade and started backing up, though his heel caught on a rock and he stumbled back, falling onto his backside. The man slowly started approaching him, now holding the sword by the hilt.

"I am one who attempted the tale I just told you. I took a chance to save somebody, but failed. However, there is something different with you. I believe you hold the true key to ending this all. To ending the nightmare me and my predecessors have been forced to repeat time and time again. You, Robin, are the one who can end this. Should you accept, I will grant you another chance at life. I will give you the opportunity to save the one you hold most dear. Perhaps you will even surpass my expectations of what can be done. Either way, you must take this opportunity."

Robin stared at the ground, the face of Lucina's lifeless body once again coming to mind. His voice became choked as the depression gripped him once again. As if he was all along.

"But….what if I fail again…." He asked in a whisper.

"Even if you fail, there will be somebody else to take your place and try again. There will always be somebody you can pass the torch to. But I think you are the one who can end all this. After all, you possess something different from the rest of us. A fragment that has stayed with you, despite everything, that had disappeared from all those who came before us." The man said as he stared at Robin's chest.

"What are you talking about!? Who are these 'predecessors'? What do you mean by fragment? Who the hell are you!?" Robin yelled with anguish.

"I fear I cannot speak much more of this topic. A curse prevents me from revealing more than riddles, and even still you may be better off going in blind. Regardless, should you accept, I will leave a note of instructions for you to open when the right time comes. It will explain things to you, to the point you will need."

"I still don't understand!" Robin cried out. His head was pounding, and this copy wasn't making any sense.

"Then listen only to my question. Do you want the chance to save Lucina?" The copy asked, his face dead serious. Robin avoided the man's eyes for a while, thinking desperately of an answer. Though he knew that offers like these always had strings attached, he still couldn't sway his feelings for Lucina.

"…Yes….I do…" Robin finally answered, slowly. The copy stood motionless as seconds ticked on for what seemed like ages. Robin remained seated, staring at the ground, waiting for the copy to tell him what hell he was going to unleash. After five minutes of silence. The copy finally stared up at the sky.

"The contract has been sealed. Naga, open the gate" the copy spoke calmly towards the open night sky.

"N-NAGA!?" Robin jerked forward, falling onto all fours, surprised at hearing the name of the divine dragon.

"Very good, Fellblood. I knew you would take this chance. In truth, you would have been forced to take this chance no matter what your answer was. I am glad you are cooperating of your own ambition." A majestic voice rang out from seemingly everywhere. A bright light suddenly illuminated from about fifty feet in the air above Robin, seemingly bringing daylight to the small shack. The sand glowed luminously as it reflected the divine light of Naga, who appeared in her human form. As if she were a fallen angel, she slowly descended upon the land of mortals until her feet hovered an inch off the sand.

"N-Naga? What is going on?" Robin stammered, his chest feeling tight. He shrugged off his Plegian coat and clutched at his chest. Not only did his head feel like it would burst, now his heart felt like it was going to beat out of his chest.

"You are not long for this world. It seems that, despite all our efforts, my Fell Brethren still infects your blood. In short, Grima is still living within you." Naga began.

Robin shakily stood from the sand. His arms lay limp at his sides, and his head was dangling, his nose pointing to the ground.

_"G-Grima? But…but he was gone…..we flushed him out of my body after fighting Lucifer…."_ Robin suddenly brought both hands to clutch his temples, letting out a roar of pain.

"Th-then…..that black smoke that Lucina was coughing up…" Robin started to say as realization dawned on him.

"It is best if you do not dwell on it, Fellblood. Regardless, there is nothing that could have been done. Not at the time. Now that you are taking this contract, you will have a chance to not only save Lucina, but everybody that has ever perished due to the Fell dragon, in this universe and all others. You will have a chance to save this whole world from calamity." Naga spoke.

Robin stared blankly at the divine being.

"But…how!? How am I supposed to save everybody!?" Robin yelled, his voice practically pleading.

"I am sure he has told you all that we are allowed to say" Naga said, making a motion indicating Robin's copy, who had still been standing motionless.

"We are going to send you through time and space, much as my child Lucina once did."

"You are sending me back? But haven't we already tried that!? It didn't work, Grima was still summoned to this world! And it would be more dangerous if there were more avatars lying around for him to possess!" Robin fired back at Naga. He couldn't comprehend what the Exalted Dragon was thinking. Lucina had already gone back in time, and she could not stop fate. Even with Validar killed, Grima still found a way to resurrect the dark mage, and bring about the events that caused Grima to be born into the world.

"You will not be in this world. Not this time, Fellblood. There will be no danger of Grima's soul being reborn." Naga said.

"Not in this world? What world am I going to then? How can I save Lucina if I'm somewhere else?" Robin asked, the hope he had initially felt starting to disappear. Surely, this was some jest. The dark pit in his stomach started swelling again, as the feeling of emptiness started to overtake him. He felt as if he needed to vomit, each time the image of her hand falling lifelessly to the bed came to mind.

"Fellblood, we are sending you back to the point of origin. As we speak, the timelines are intersecting. I have no time to explain it in detail. You will replace the soul of a child that dies in a terrible accident, and from there you will grow into a fine prince. You must then make a path that fights fate itself. You will be faced with a decision, and your choice must both preserve our timeline and shatter it to pieces. If you do this, Lucina and every other child in this world and any other world will never know pain."

Robin's mouth opened and shut a few times as he tried to decipher what the Exalted dragon was saying.

"Preserve our timeline and also shatter it!? How can I do that!?" Robin's voice was hoarse. Despair had begun to set in as he glanced between his copy and the divine dragon.

"Unfortunately, it is impossible to explain unless you experience it yourself. Now, we must begin the journey right away, otherwise we will miss our chance at the gate" Robin's copy spoke, then pulled a large oak staff with a purple gem at the top. He began making circles in the air with it, while making some incantation Robin had never heard. A blue portal emerged in the air where the copy had made the circles, just large enough for Robin to crawl through on all fours.

"Robin, listen close to my final words to you. In this world, you will take a new name. Your memories will be temporarily erased, until a time comes that you must start to act. Then, your memories will come in piece by piece, and a former ally will join you in guidance towards your ultimate goal."

"I'm going to lose my memory again!?" Robin interrupted his clone, who had been giving him instruction. The clone, with irritation heavy on his face, screamed back at Robin.

"Damn it all! This isn't the time! Your memory will return! Now listen, we don't have much time left! I have left a note for you in the coat of the child you will replace. You will be unable to read it until your memory returns, but make sure to keep it close! It is going to be kept in a locket, the key to which will be in your bedroom between dimensions, in a chest sitting upon the third shelf. Your memory of the importance of that locket will remain, but the memory of the key's location will disappear until further time. The note is in the Plegian language, which you will forget for the time being, so that it does not fall into the wrong hands. Remember this information, and when your memory returns, read the note!" Robin's copy shouted.

Robin's head was swirling as he tried to take in all the information being thrown at him.

"B-but, how will I-" Robin started, before Naga interrupted him.

"There is no time, Fellblood. If you wish to save Lucina, go through the gate now. Otherwise, the chance will never come again."

Robin glanced between Naga and his copy. He was sweating profusely, and his head and chest felt as if they might explode.

_"No….if I can save her….I will do anything!"_ Robin resolved within him. Taking a deep breath, he sprinted across the sand, and dove into the blue portal that hung in the air.

* * *

"I'm disappointed in you, Sumeragi. That wasn't even my best trap." A cold voice spoke.

Robin heard groans of pain, and a large thump. His world was black, and his body felt cold. He felt a pressure on his neck, but it was as if his body belonged to somebody else. He felt as if he were wearing a large coat that surrounded his entire body, though at the same time he felt no warmth.

"Damn it archers! You weren't supposed to kill the kid!" A shrill voice called out from next to Robin. The feeling of cold was overbearing. He felt empty, as if his very soul was floating in space, surrounded by a hollow shell. Slowly, his bearings started to coming to him.

When he opened his eyes, he first noticed it was dark out. He was laying on a cold stone floor on his side, but there was something warm running down his fingers of his right hand. He brought his hand up to his eyes, though his movements were incredibly slow. His eyes shot open when he saw the red substance covering his hand.

_"I'm….bleeding?"_ He thought. His throat was parched, and he couldn't make a sound. With great effort, he tilted his eyes down to see an arrow sticking through his chest, right where his heart was. Suddenly the pain came to him all at once.

"Arrghh!" He cried out. He felt as if a hole was being bored into him. One was, after all.

"Hmm?" The cold voice rang out again. Robin looked up, but did not see its source, only an army of archers standing at the end of an outdoor corridor, across from him.

"You poor thing" The voice said again, this time from Robin's left side. He spun his head as fast he could, and his eyes landed on the source. A monster of a man clad in thick gold armor. A red coat with white trim that covered all but his front side. A long white beard with a single grey streak down the center, all of which outlined his jaw line. White hair that was held back by a black crown. Pale skin that seemed to glow in the moonlight. And those red eyes that bore through Robin's soul. The man caused Robin's body to shake. The man took slow, pounding steps towards Robin.

The former grandmaster quickly reached for his sword, but found nothing at his side. Looking down in confusion, he realized that not only did he lack a sword, but his body had shrunk. No, it appeared he was in the body of a young child. Though hazy, his last few memories started returning to him.

_"….You will replace the soul of a child that dies in a terrible accident….."_ Naga had said.

_"Damn it! I can't die here!"_ Robin thought as he clenched his teeth. His body was screaming at him, both in pain and fear.

"Orphaned at such….a tender young age" The cold voice said again. Before Robin knew it, a massive hand that was encased in a black glove reached out and grabbed him by the scalp, hoisting him high up into the air, bringing him eye to eye with the red eyed beast.

"You're my child now, Corrin" the beast said with a cold laughter.

_"Corrin!?"_ Robin had time to think just this, before he felt something hard strike his head from behind. His body went limp as his consciousness faded, his last sight being the treacherous smile of that red eyed man.

And then, darkness fell upon Robin.

* * *

**A/N: Thank you again for all of the support during my time of writing this. After such a long journey and nearly two years, this story finally closes its pages, and another story may begin. Be on the look out for the new adventure of Robin as he travels a new land in an attempt to save Lucina from Grima once again. There are going to be a lot of twists and turns, so strap in tight. There were no reviews on the last chapter, which makes me a bit sad, but I hope you will take the time and drop your thoughts on this final chapter for the story overall. Strengths, weaknesses, what you liked, what you thought could be better. I welcome all feedback, since I will use it to make my next story even better. I will update this chapter as reviews roll in to reply to them in this A/N and forever engrave your mark upon this story. Thank you again to all of my readers.**

**Responses to Reviews:**

**Guest: I hope you enjoy the ride!**

**Greyjedi: The reasoning to all this helps set up the events to come, but a further explanation you will find below in response to A Pokemon Tactician. I look forward to seeing you next story!**

**A Pokemon Tactician: Thank you for the feedback! I'm going to break down my answers in correlation with your review, hopefully I can give some guidance and reasoning to me decisions. As for Robin being OOC by leaving everybody behind, in actuality he is aligning with the character I have created for him. In all situations where he has found loss and depression as seen here, and as will be seen in the prequel story the Beginning of Life, Robin pushes people away when dealing with loss. The only things that lead him to get better are his friends around him, who force him into getting past the grief, the parts that Chrom and Lucina have traditionally played in the past. Since these parts have not been written into the Beginning of Life, I understand the confusion, but my outline has Robin responding in the exact same ways in several situations, but Lucina breaks him out of the shell rather swiftly so that he does not ever get as bad as shown. Since all of his friends and family are in a state of grief when he pushes everybody away, there is nobody to break him out of the state. Dealing with grief is not something people do well alone, and his grief has spiraled to the point you see him in. Which brings me to the next point: Why has he not gotten better over the past five years? You are correct, in normal circumstances, Robin should have gotten better and returned back to the kids. In actuality, in normal circumstance, I would have had Robin return to his children after a year, and this was originally the planned ending. However, and yes, you could call this a plot device, I realized that the plans for the next story were contingent around a very certain fact. As alluded to by Naga, Grima still remains within Robin. As seen in the game, Grima feeds off negative energy, and reduces people to states as you see Robin in (see The Future Past DLC). So, instead of Robin being able to get better, Grima constantly drags him down, and causes the empty feeling within to worsen. It is in efforts that Robin really will use the dark spell, as this would weaken Robin enough for Grima to regain possession of him. As I said, you could call this a plot device if you wanted, though every plot element can be seen as such. I hope this helps to explain to you my decisions thus far, and if you have any more questions, I will be happy to explain more. **

**-Austin.**


	32. Story Update and Comments

Hello everyone,

It has been quite some time, but I wanted to post a quick update and detail out some things to come, as well as answer all of the wonderful reviews that have been left during my leave. First, the reviews:

BlitzRick3: Thank you for the support. I wouldn't really say it is over, as the sequel will eventually return to Awakening where we left off. So there is still a good bit to come.

Blakithleo: Yes.

Jakezero: Thank you for the support. I admit that when I started this story, I had not anticipated anything more than a few one-shot stories, but it somehow developed into this. Our journey has many more twists and turns to come. Thank you for sticking with me.

Dragon King Rouga: I am glad the story was able to reach you

PeasantWithAKeyboard: Thank you for the feedback, I always appreciate it. Dialogue is not my strong suit, you are correct in that regard. As for endings, I believe writing a good ending is possibly the toughest part of a story. But, that aside, this is more of the "2/3" mark of the story, as it is the 2nd in a trilogy. I could have just continued writing the new chapters into this story, but decided I wanted to make a clear division between the story arcs. There is still plenty of new story to come, and we will eventually return to the world of Awakening to reach an actual ending. Thank you for all of your feedback though, I will definitely keep it in mind when I am writing the true end.

With that out of the way, time to talk about updates. I am currently finishing up a "Beginning of Life" chapter, and anticipate it to be out by mid week. I also have the first chapter of the sequel story in the works, and hope to have it out by the end of the week. Next weekend probably wont have a chapter, but I then hope to move into a weekly release schedule for both "Beginning of Life" and "Renewal of Life", hopefully each having their own day. Right now I am thinking Wednesdays for Beginning, Saturdays for Renewal, but I will see how everything plays out. I also really want to hear more feedback, this story has 256 favorites at the time of writing but only 130 reviews. I really want to hear from everyone, and get some insight into what you want to see in both stories that are in the works. So please, let me know what you think, and thank you so much for sticking with me.

Until next time,

Austin


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